By

Brandon Drury

1

Pre Book Junk-

Legal© 2009 by RecordingReview.com, All Rights Reserved worldwide under the Berne

Convention. May not be copied or distributed without prior written permission.

Dear Killer Recorder,

Thanks for buying this piece of the Killer Home

Recording pie.

Creating Killer Home Recording has been the most

ridiculous, hair-brained scheme I've ever concocted.

I'm assuming that if I would have spent the night in

jail for smashing in mailboxes when I was 17, I would

probably regret writing Killer Home Recording first,

mailbox facelifting second. I've never smashed a

mail box. So, #2 is a toss up between buying

Captain Ron on DVD or eating that big ol' piece of

Wasabi at the sushi bar at the Michael Wagener

Workshop. (How was I supposed to know? Where I

come from we cook our food!)

The idea of trying to cram everything I know about home recording into one series of books is

flat out insane. When you factor in to that the endless barrage of audio clips, Interrogations,

and illustrations, it's a wonder if I have any sanity left at all. In fact, I get extra quiet around

cops and social workers just because I never know when they may mistake me for the

Unibomber.

2

Brandon Drury: Destroyer of worlds, debatably the best looking guy of all time, and recording guy

My goal with this entire series has been simple. I wanted to take a topic that is way harder

than it should be and make it infinitely easier. After reading Killer Home Recording, I don't

expect you to be winning any engineering awards over night. I don't have any Grammy

Awards yet! (Man, I'd love to do what Pearl Jam did!) I do expect you to have a dramatically

clearer understanding of what it is this whole recording thing is all about. We will drastically

reduce and maybe even eliminate those feelings of indecision and second guessing that

plague us home recorders and we will exponentially improve your results in audio land.

I've tried my best to be a good boy in this thing. Like an 8-year old boy in church, I think I've

managed to be a little naughty, but in the end I realize that I still have to answer to a higher

authority: Dad's belt! (Yup, God always seemed to forgive a little faster than the sting on my

future God's gift to women.) In this case, I guess you are Dad (or God) and you are armed

and dangerous.

My general philosophy is if you can't offend 'em, befriend 'em. So if I can make it through

Killer Home Recording without feeling appalled shoot me an email and I'll owe you a beer.

Good luck!

Brandon Druryhttp://www.recordingreview.com

3

The Killer Home Recording System

Killer Home Recording: Setting Up is just part #1 in my 13-part Killer Home Recording series.

I decided to give it away because I figured you should haven't to go through the headaches of

choosing you gear and actually getting it to run when you could be going through the

headaches of actually getting the sounds in your head coming out of the monitors.

So, enjoy the "boring book" of the series.

4

Killer Home Recording Owner Comments

"My parents paid $25,000 for me to go to Media Techs Dallas Sound Lab and I can

honestly say I have learned more from your book than I have learned collectively from

everything else."

------ Trey Wagnor ------

"I've read all the usual recording books (Mixing Engineer's Handbook, Mixing With

Your Mind, The Art of Mixing, Home Recording for Dummies etc.) and

Killer Home Recording slays them."

-----Jeff http://www.mountainmirrors.com

"You've already saved me four grand!"

------ Nate Thorpe - -

"This is ridiculously bad-ass! ....What a wealth of valuable, no-nonsense, no bullshit

information contained in this system."

------ Metaltyme ------

"I don't think their could be anything more helpful to your engineering skills then

getting KHR. If a neumann mic costs you $2000, and cost was based on how much it

5

will improve your sound, this pdf book should cost $250,000"

------ Jeremyk23 ------

More Info There many, many more user comments and tons of info on what is included in the complete

Killer Home Recording package at http://www.recordingreview.com/killerhomerecording/

6

About RecordingReview.com

I started RecordingReview.com

because I felt there was no good

place for home recorders to get help.

It seemed the guys that dominated the home recording communities weren't recording at

home at all. They were tired, bitter old pros who wanted to tell everyone to simply throw

money at their problems. It's clear they weren't willing to respect the beginners enough to

give them the attention they required. (“Newbie” became a derogatory term. Why?) I think

maybe they themselves had forgotten just how difficult it was for them to start recording.

So RecordingReview.com is all about helping the beginner make the most bad ass recordings

they could possibly make. Maybe you don't have a $3,000,000 room or a $100,000 console.

So what! RecordingReview.com is all about you and I and all of our peers coming together to

give the big dogs a run for their money.

A surprising result was we ended up attracting way more than just beginners! We have a

strong member base of very experienced individuals who run the gamut from beginners to

war-hardened veterans who just happen to be very generous with their time.

At RecordingReview.com beginners and masters come together in ways I've never seen in

another recording forum. We work together to test various new mic placements, new gear,

and new mixing techniques. The idea is to unravel the secrets of our favorite recordings one

by one as we all progress to be more effective recording humans together.

Killer Home Recording is one gigantic leap towards fulfilling those original goals I had back

when I started RecordingReview.com back in 2005.

You are always welcome to take part in the most friendly, down to Earth recording forum on the planet. RecordingReview.com

7

This Is Not Free!Okay, maybe it's a little free! I didn't charge you for it up front.

I never intended for "Killer Home Recording: Setting Up", to be free. It was meant to be a kick

ass system that was well worth whatever price tag I put on it.

After some careful debating, I've decided that this is my way of buying you a beer. When

you are 100% sure I'm not in the sex slave industry maybe then you'll reciprocate....but no

pressure.

So here you go. Hopefully I save you a few thousand bucks and a few thousand headaches,

but like some kind of mafia Godfather, I may need you to do me a favor involving a large debt

and a shovel.

Help Me Proofread!

If you find any errors in Killer Home Recording, it would do me a HUGE favor if you could

make a list of them and email them to me (brandon@recordingreview.com) for correction. I

replaced all my grammar knowledge with beer and recording knowledge so a little help with

that will go a LONG way!

The Fastest Way to Recording Paradise

In this discussion of paradise I'll omit any references to cash, weather, or mind powers over

the opposite sex. I'm taking the more reasonable route to paradise. I'm assuming that

paradise is the ability to sit down and record our music without feeling like we are fighting a

battle each and every time. This little section is intended for people wearing their “musician

hat” while recording, but I guess it applies to the audio engineering head covering as well.

8

For most of you it appears that the 30 foot monster, known as “Learning Curve” in these

parts, stands between you and your ability to just plop down in a chair, grab a

weapon/instrument , and go to town making/recording your tunes. When you've got a

screaming baby, a screaming wife, and a screaming boss it's usually tough to make time to

toss down screaming guitar. So when you get 20 minutes to have some fun, you need to be

able to jump right in and rock on your recording rig at will.

What No One Is Telling You!

The problem with home recording is you can't play nice with Learning Curve. It doesn't work.

You can not injure her. She will simply heal up by the next time and take her vengeance out

on you even worse the next time. Of course, you can try to run past Learning Curve. But that

usually means you have to run four miles out of your way. I'm not sure about you, but I'm not

in the shape I once was. By the time I run that far, I'm too tired (if not dead) and I have too

little time to actually lay down my noise. Even worse, I remember how terrible that

experience was and avoid the whole mess simply because I don't want to have to deal with

Learning Curve next time.

The Secret to Home Recording Success

The ONLY way to achieve the big goal of being able to record your music at the drop of a

dime is to kill the stupid monster. Yes, cut her throat, poison her, or get more creative and

implement some of the tactics in the movie “Seven”. Once she is dead, she's gone. She

can't come back. Once you've slayed the beast you can walk happily with peace of mind

knowing that you can make music faster than you can make a cup of coffee.

My Paradise

Several months ago a gang of former hoodlum clients (generally known as a “band” to

uninformed laymen) conned me into joining their ruckus making adventure club. So now I try

to write a new noise piece at least three times a week on my guitar. I don't have to worry

9

about the Learning Curve monster because I killed her years ago. In fact, taking the time to

grab the damn guitar cable and plug it in is way more annoying than the recording rig.

(Seriously!)

Note: In this setting I am NOT in engineer mode. The last thing I'm thinking about is

compressors, equalizers, and all that junk. I don't want to deal with any of it. I'm in music

mode and I just want to play guitar and make noise.

So I fire up Cubase, go to the “Recent Projects” list, and select “Practice”. It immediately

opens Superior Drummer 2.0, EZ Player (a drum loop library thing), and three tracks all

loaded with my emulator of choice (usually Guitar Rig or Amplitube). This literally takes eight

seconds. That means in less than ten seconds I'm hearing my guitar through my monitors. I

often have a drum loop left over from last time. So I can hit play and be rocking right off the

bat. I just have to figure out what I want to play and hit record. When I'm happy with one

guitar part, I switch to the next track, arm it, unarm the other track, and hit play again. It's

literally that easy once you've killed Learning Curve.

How to Kill Learning Curve

The best way to kill Learning Curve is to watch Sioux Indians hunt a buffalo. The Sioux

mainly used a bow and arrow. A thin thrown stick with a rock on it is not going to take down a

one-ton mammal. You've got to use an all-out, Blitzkrieg-style assault to bring the beast

down. They didn't piddly-wink around.

So if you are serious about obtaining recording paradise, you simply need to invest a big ole'

army of time all at once, read through the Getting Started manual (not the actual 1,000 page

manual), and follow the tutorials. By scheduling one Saturday where you can get a running

start and slam Learning Curve as hard as possible, you may be able to knock her down and

kill her.

10

Conclusion

I seriously believe that those who FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS (even if you don't tell your

football buddies), go through the tutorials, and dedicate a Saturday to this task will be 90% of

the way there. They just need to follow up the next day by recording a song or two. That's it!

In a five hour period you can have your recording paradise. Will you know everything about

your recording setup? Absolutely not! I'm using a four year old version of Cubase right now

and I'm sure I only know how to use 13% of it. That's all I need. When I need an advanced

feature, I open the giant manual, do a search, and in two minutes I usually have that feature

down.

The alternative is throwing rocks at Learning Curve on a daily basis and never getting to the

point where you can actually make music. Life is too short!

11

Table of Contents

Pre-Book Junk......................................................................................................2Legal.......................................................................................................................................2Dear Killer Recorder,..............................................................................................................2The Killer Home Recording System.......................................................................................4Killer Home Recording Owner Comments.............................................................................5More Info ................................................................................................................................6About RecordingReview.com.................................................................................................7This Is Not Free!.....................................................................................................................8Help Me Proofread!.................................................................................................................8The Fastest Way to Recording Paradise................................................................................8

Standalone Recorders Vs Computer Recording................................................20Benefits of Standalone Recorders........................................................................................20Drawbacks of Standalone Recorders...................................................................................21Benefits of Computers For Recording..................................................................................23Drawbacks of Computers For Recording.............................................................................28Which sounds better? A standalone box or a properly setup computer recording rig? .....29Which is better for me? A standalone box or a properly setup computer recording rig? . . .30Why I Consider Standalone Recorders To Be More Complicated.......................................32All Drum “Machines” Are Not Created Equal........................................................................35Reasons I Use Recording Software.....................................................................................35Q: What About Digital Recorders That Function Like Tape Machines?...............................37Before You Buy.....................................................................................................................41Popular Options....................................................................................................................42

Overview Of The Computer Recording Process................................................44Routing: Getting Started.......................................................................................................46Recording Software Routing.................................................................................................55

Beginner Recording Gear Stuff..........................................................................57Electric Guitar Recording Gear.............................................................................................57Bass Recording Gear...........................................................................................................59Drum Recording Gear...........................................................................................................60Microphone Selection...........................................................................................................64Mics I've Used And I Recommend Checking Out.................................................................67One Mic Guys.......................................................................................................................73Mic Stands ...........................................................................................................................74Speaker Stands....................................................................................................................75

12

Headphone Amps.................................................................................................................76Headphones.........................................................................................................................76Acoustic Treatment...............................................................................................................77Studio Monitors.....................................................................................................................78MIDI Production Gear...........................................................................................................79An Overemphasis On High-End Gear..................................................................................81Q: Do I Need A Mixer For Home Recording?.......................................................................83Q: Do I Need A Pop Filter?...................................................................................................87Q: Do I Need Expensive High End Analog To Digital Converters?......................................87Q: Do I Need Expensive High End Preamps?......................................................................88Q: Will A Tube Preamp Smoke My Stock Audio Interface Preamp?....................................90Will The Band Notice High End Preamps?...........................................................................91Q: I have a friend who insists on doing everything in analog. Should I go this route?.......93Q: Do I Need A Control Surface?..........................................................................................95What do you think of USB microphones?.............................................................................98Monitoring For Performers....................................................................................................99Studio Monitors: Pair Or Single Speaker?..........................................................................104Better Instruments vs Better Recording Gear....................................................................105Things You Don't Know You Need......................................................................................106Things Not To Buy Yet.........................................................................................................112X-Red Niner - Secret Recording Technology......................................................................112How To Break Recording Gear...........................................................................................114

Audio Interfaces ..............................................................................................117Audio Interface Features....................................................................................................121Home Recording Soundcard Wizard..................................................................................129Q: Which audio interface sounds the best?........................................................................129Q: Do I need a soundcard and an audio interface?..........................................................130Q: I want to record my entire band live. How do I add more inputs?................................131Q: Why does my audio interface only have 8 inputs even though it advertises much more?............................................................................................................................................131Are the preamps in an audio interface as good as the preamps in a mixer?.....................132Is Firewire better than USB 2.0?........................................................................................132Before You Buy...................................................................................................................133Mixers bundled with audio interfaces.................................................................................133Q: I was thinking of getting X audio interface, but just a few hours ago I read someone had a problem with it. Should I get something else?................................................................134

Recording Software..........................................................................................136Placing Too Much Stock In Recording Software................................................................136Recording Software All Sounds The Same .......................................................................137No Bad Recording Software...............................................................................................137Powerful Recording Software.............................................................................................138The Recording Software Commitment...............................................................................139

13

Q:I plan on using crappy software now, but upgrading later. Is this a good idea?............142Q: What's the best software?..............................................................................................145Features To Look For In Recording Software.....................................................................145Features You Won't Look For.............................................................................................150Wav Editor vs DAW............................................................................................................151Q: What do you think about free software?........................................................................151Q: Will my recording software work with my audio interface?............................................152You Don't Need Mp3 Conversion In Your Recording Software..........................................152So You've Just About Given Up On X Recording Software?..............................................153Getting Started: Tutorial vs Manual....................................................................................153

Mac vs PC .......................................................................................................155Advantages of Mac.............................................................................................................155Advantages of PCs.............................................................................................................155Computer Dependent Gear................................................................................................156Q: Aren't Macs More Reliable Than Windows Computers?...............................................157Q: Aren't Macs Better For Recording?................................................................................157Q: Brandon, What do you recommend? Mac or PC?.........................................................158You Don't Really Record With The Operating System.......................................................158Conclusion..........................................................................................................................159

PC Computer Stuff...........................................................................................159Calm Down!........................................................................................................................160Computer Guts...................................................................................................................160Recording Computer Demands..........................................................................................164Q: Should I update my operating system?.........................................................................167Q: What Is A Chipset?.........................................................................................................168Q: Should I Go With AMD or an Intel Processor?.............................................................170Q: What if my computer doesn't come with USB 2.0 or Firewire?.....................................171Quad Core Computer Power..............................................................................................172Keeping A Recording Computer Quiet...............................................................................174UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply)....................................................................................181Laptop Recording Considerations......................................................................................182

Computer Performance Optimization...............................................................184Dux nLited XP Pro .............................................................................................................184Avoid The Problem In The First Place ...............................................................................184Make A Carbon Copy Backup Of Your Operating System.................................................187Stick with Good Ole, Reliable, Stable Operating System...................................................188Use Multiple Hard Drives ...................................................................................................1897200 RPM, 10k RPM, and 15k RPM Hard Drives..............................................................190Optimize The Operating System........................................................................................190Should I Use Internet On My Recording Computer?..........................................................191

14

How Much Should I Spend On a Recording Computer?....................................................192Take A Look At Servers.......................................................................................................194How Much Computer Power Do I Need?...........................................................................195There Is Always A Way Out................................................................................................19632-bit vs. 64-bit Operating Systems...................................................................................199Where To Get Your Recording Computer...........................................................................199Incompatible Audio Interfaces............................................................................................201

Cables..............................................................................................................202Different Types Of Cables...................................................................................................202Should I Pay Top Dollar For High End Cables?.................................................................206Really, Really Bad Cables..................................................................................................207Short vs. Long Cables XLR................................................................................................208Q: Should I Use Balanced (TRS or XLR) Cables Via Unbalanced Connections?............208

Beginner Studio Construction...........................................................................210Q: Do I Need A Vocal Booth?.............................................................................................210Q: Should I Begin Studio Construction?.............................................................................212The Robo Basics of Soundproofing....................................................................................216Avoiding Electrical Noise....................................................................................................222How Pretty Should My Studio Be?.....................................................................................225Form Is Function.................................................................................................................226Gobo Construction..............................................................................................................227

Ideas For The Ultra-Broke Recorder................................................................230Q: Do I really need a condenser mic?................................................................................230Q: Can I use my stock soundcard?....................................................................................231Q: Do I really need studio monitors?.................................................................................232Q: Do I really need a pop filter?..........................................................................................232Maxing Out An Old Computer.............................................................................................233Buy Used Gear When Possible..........................................................................................234Never Pay Interest Unless It's Profitable To Do So............................................................235Always Have A Plan When Buying Gear............................................................................236Be Skeptical Of Outsider Advice.........................................................................................237You Will Never Be Satisfied................................................................................................237Get A Used Standalone Recorder......................................................................................238Pirated Recording Software: Why I Don't Use It................................................................239

Troubleshooting................................................................................................242Signal Flow.........................................................................................................................242Computer Troubleshooting.................................................................................................243Q: It seems that all seven tracks are recording the same thing? Why?...........................244

15

Q: I Can't Hear Any Audio On Playback? Why?...............................................................245Q: No Audio Recording At All! Why?.................................................................................246Audio Only Records On One Side......................................................................................249MIDI Makes No Sound.......................................................................................................249Troubleshooting Clicks and Pops.......................................................................................250Clicks and Pops With A Single Track..................................................................................250Clicks And Pops With Multiple Tracks................................................................................256Clicks and Pops With Samples...........................................................................................258

MIDI..................................................................................................................260An Explanation of MIDI.......................................................................................................260The New Era Of MIDI.........................................................................................................260MIDI Doesn't Have To Be “Stiff”..........................................................................................262What Is A MIDI Sequencer?...............................................................................................263What Is A Synthesizer?.......................................................................................................264What Is A Sampler?............................................................................................................265Loops..................................................................................................................................266MIDI Is Simple....................................................................................................................269The Basics Of MIDI Routing...............................................................................................269MIDI Messages...................................................................................................................273Potential MIDI Problems.....................................................................................................275Drum Programming............................................................................................................276So which method of drum programming should you use? ...............................................279My Basic Approach To Mouse Drum Programming...........................................................285Q: Drum Samples: Are you worried about songs losing their individuality?.......................292Q: Do you have to think like a drummer to program great MIDI drums?...........................294Q: How Do I "Convert" MIDI To Wav.................................................................................295

Glossary...........................................................................................................298A/D Converter ...................................................................................................................298Absorption Coefficients.......................................................................................................298Analog Inputs......................................................................................................................298Anechoic Chamber.............................................................................................................299Arming.................................................................................................................................299Arrangement ......................................................................................................................299ATA......................................................................................................................................300Audio Interface....................................................................................................................300Automatic Delay Compensation.........................................................................................301Autotune..............................................................................................................................302Aux Send............................................................................................................................302Axis.....................................................................................................................................302Bandwidth...........................................................................................................................303Bass Traps..........................................................................................................................303Bleed ..................................................................................................................................304

16

Boost...................................................................................................................................304Bounce................................................................................................................................304Breakout Box......................................................................................................................304Bus......................................................................................................................................305Cardioid...............................................................................................................................305Chipset................................................................................................................................306Clipping...............................................................................................................................306Clock...................................................................................................................................306Chorus................................................................................................................................306Comb Filtering....................................................................................................................306Condenser Microphone......................................................................................................307Control Room......................................................................................................................307Converter............................................................................................................................308Convolution Reverb............................................................................................................308Copying and Pasting...........................................................................................................308Cut......................................................................................................................................309D/A Converter ...................................................................................................................309DAW....................................................................................................................................309Decca Tree.........................................................................................................................309Delay...................................................................................................................................309Drivers.................................................................................................................................309DI........................................................................................................................................310Digital Inputs.......................................................................................................................310Direct Monitoring.................................................................................................................310Dry.......................................................................................................................................311Dual Boot............................................................................................................................311Ducking...............................................................................................................................312Dynamic Microphone..........................................................................................................312Early Reflections.................................................................................................................312Feedback............................................................................................................................312Flutter Echo........................................................................................................................313Freezing..............................................................................................................................313Figure 8...............................................................................................................................313Filter....................................................................................................................................314Firewire...............................................................................................................................314Formant...............................................................................................................................314Fundamental Frequency.....................................................................................................315Gain-Based Effects.............................................................................................................315Gate....................................................................................................................................315General MIDI (GM) ............................................................................................................316Gobo...................................................................................................................................316Golden Ratio.......................................................................................................................317Harmonic Content...............................................................................................................317Headroom ..........................................................................................................................318High-Pass Filter .................................................................................................................319Hi-Z Inputs..........................................................................................................................319IEEE 1394 ..........................................................................................................................319

17

Impedance..........................................................................................................................319In The Box...........................................................................................................................320Integrated Audio..................................................................................................................320Keying.................................................................................................................................320Latency...............................................................................................................................321Low-Pass Filter ..................................................................................................................321Line Level............................................................................................................................321Map.....................................................................................................................................321Mastering............................................................................................................................321Microphone.........................................................................................................................322Microphone Preamp...........................................................................................................322Mixing..................................................................................................................................322MIDI....................................................................................................................................323MIDI Controller....................................................................................................................323Mixing Console...................................................................................................................323Mono Compatibility.............................................................................................................323Motherboard.......................................................................................................................324mp3.....................................................................................................................................324Multi-track Recording..........................................................................................................324Noise Gate..........................................................................................................................325Null......................................................................................................................................325Omnidirectional...................................................................................................................325ORTF..................................................................................................................................326Overclocking.......................................................................................................................326Overdub..............................................................................................................................326Pad (microphone) ..............................................................................................................326Pad (synth).........................................................................................................................327Panning Law.......................................................................................................................327Parallel Compression..........................................................................................................327Parametric EQ....................................................................................................................328PCI cards............................................................................................................................328Phantom Power..................................................................................................................329Phase..................................................................................................................................329Plugin..................................................................................................................................329Polarity................................................................................................................................329Pop Filter.............................................................................................................................330Preamp ..............................................................................................................................330Predelay..............................................................................................................................331Printable CD-Rs..................................................................................................................331Proximity Effect...................................................................................................................331Punch In/Punch Out............................................................................................................331Q.........................................................................................................................................332Quantized Grid....................................................................................................................332Reamp ...............................................................................................................................332Reverb ...............................................................................................................................332Reverb Time.......................................................................................................................333Ribbon Microphone.............................................................................................................333

18

RMS Loudness...................................................................................................................333Robo...................................................................................................................................334Roll Off ...............................................................................................................................334Room..................................................................................................................................334Room Mode .......................................................................................................................335Room Node.........................................................................................................................335RT 60 .................................................................................................................................335RTAS ..................................................................................................................................335Sampler...............................................................................................................................336SATA...................................................................................................................................336Sensitivity............................................................................................................................336Sequencer..........................................................................................................................336Shelf....................................................................................................................................337Sibilance.............................................................................................................................337Sidechain............................................................................................................................337S/PDIF................................................................................................................................338Staccato..............................................................................................................................338Studio Monitors...................................................................................................................338Track...................................................................................................................................338Tracking..............................................................................................................................339Transient.............................................................................................................................339Virtual Instrument................................................................................................................339Vocal Comping....................................................................................................................339Voiceover............................................................................................................................339VST.....................................................................................................................................340VSTi ...................................................................................................................................340wav File...............................................................................................................................340Wordclock...........................................................................................................................340X/Y Miking...........................................................................................................................341

Post-Book Junk................................................................................................342In Review............................................................................................................................342Still Have Questions?.........................................................................................................343Feedback............................................................................................................................343Tell Your Friends! I'll pay!...................................................................................................343The Killer Home Recording System...................................................................................344

19

Standalone Recorders Vs Computer Recording

The debate over standalone boxes vs. computers for recording has come up time and time

again on the RecordingReview.com forum. While there is no standalone recorder currently

that can pull off everything that I can do with my PC rig, only you can decide if a computer or

standalone recorder is right for your needs. For all practical purposes, there is no reason to

expect any difference in sound quality between the two. The difference lies only in features

and possibilities.

Benefits of Standalone Recorders

Fewer links in the chain

While the components are more or less the same between computer recording and

standalone boxes, the standalone recorders have everything you need inside one little

machine. This means you don't have to think about the way the various components in the

“chain” are interacting. There are no internal conflicts because the designers have already

taken care of that.

Portable

It's easy to carry a standalone box to your buddy's house.

Less Emphasis On The Eyes

Because there is less to look at, you are more inclined to use your ears while mixing. When

the eyes do the mixing, the results can suffer, so it's usually preferred to keep them out of the

equation whenever possible.

20

All Bare Essentials Are Included

A big advantage of the standalone recorders is the fact that you can pick something and be

done with it. You don't have to wonder if there is a better reverb or EQ out there because

very few standalone recorders have the ability to add third party plugins anyway. There is

something about this finality that can be extremely liberating. You never have to worry about

being bed/wallet stricken with Gear Acquisition Syndrome. You'll never stress about how

much computer processing you are using or how much hard drive space you have left. You

simply have a device to record music. It either works or it doesn't.

Note: Some high end standalone recorders do have these expansion capabilities.

Drawbacks of Standalone Recorders

All Or Nothing

Either a standalone recorder works or it doesn't. You can't simply replace a component if

something goes wrong. If the unit decides not to work, you either get it fixed or use it as a

paperweight. Getting it fixed is usually going to mean shipping the unit to a manufacturer.

This probably isn't something the computer whiz down the street can solve.

You Get What You Get

Standalone boxes are “fixed” in that you get what they give you. Because of the “All Or

Nothing” concept, most standalone boxes don't allow you to upgrade easily. For example:

If you decide that you need 20 inputs to record a live band and your recorder only has 8,

there is nothing you can do beyond upgrading to a larger standalone recorder. Even if you

were to borrow some gear to record these 20 simultaneous inputs, odds are that you won't be

21

able to get these tracks in sync without tremendous hassle. You'll be forced to use some

other system for the mixing process.

Most standalone recorders do not give you the option of using different effects plugins. You

certainly don't have access to popular plugin formats like VST, which have a huge base of

developers that are practically giving them away for free. I consider this a huge drag

because when I mix I like to use specific compressors and reverbs for specific situations.

In most cases, you are very limited in terms of MIDI sequencing. Few people sequence

within their standalone recorders. Even if yours does come with a MIDI sequencer, you don't

have many options for adding new synths and samplers. Of course, a person could go with

hardware synths and samplers, but this is an old school route that few people are taking

today. I like the idea that I can fire up my software sampler and add string parts that sound

real (because they are real!) to my tunes in Cubase. If I don't like those string parts, I can

purchase “better” string samples easily.

Complicated To Learn

There are quite a few features, functions, and possibilities that most people don't think about

when purchasing a recording system. Because of their limited real estate, many

manufacturers of standalone boxes have chosen to make fewer buttons do more things.

Learning to perform some of these tasks can make a standalone unit extremely complicated.

For me personally, learning to setup a computer is much easier than trying to understand the

buttons in a standalone recorder. I would rather deal with a handful of issues on a computer

than have to memorize pressing 2nd, Shift, Option+Rewind to get to the beginning of the

song. Maybe remembering 2nd, Shift, Option+Rewind isn't a big deal, however, it's one thing

to use a system that has a learning curve, but dealing with a machine that fights you in the

heat of battle is another. It's counterproductive!

Obviously not all standalone recorders are created equal, so use your best judgment. It's

very possible that there are well-laid-out standalone recorders that make recording a breeze.

22

Just for the record, I've also seen computer systems where music making simply was not

possible because of the technical problems.

Note: If any of you are aware of any standalone recorders that are amazingly simple to use

send me an email and I'll make note of it.

Creative Tricks Are Limited

I've not heard of a person who was able to reverse a track, add reverb to it, and then reverse

it again. This was a common trick used on 80's snare drums or as an eerie vocal effect. Do

you need the ability to do cool tricks? That depends on your music.

Just be aware that silly tricks are limited in standalone boxes. Again, you get what you get.

Only you can decide if you want to add a bunch of weird noises to your songs, but I know

many of my clients certainly do. I'd be lost if I didn't have the computers ability to mangle

audio. Where do you draw the line between a silly trick and a creative possibility to enhance

your music? Good recording software is designed to give you total control over your music

regardless of the situation.

Do You Have Automation?

I'm guessing that there are some standalone recorders out there that have the ability to

automate volume levels. When I say “automate volume levels” I'm referring to the ability to

boost the volume of a syllable in a word and then drop the volume down on the next. This

may seem crazy to you now, but I consider it to be the single most important mixing tool

available. I would never purchase a standalone recorder that didn't have the ability to

automate.

Benefits of Computers For Recording

Computers Are Reliable

Today at RecordingReview.com, I was asked if computers are reliable enough for recording. I

23

imagine for older generations it's common to assume a computer is held together by duct

tape. Computers today are a reliable and efficient medium for recording music. However, if a

computer is being pushed really hard, it may buckle under the pressure and require a restart.

They aren't perfect, but if properly set up, you shouldn't have too much difficulty. We'll get

more into this as properly setting up a recording computer is a big deal!

With that said, if I had to use my girlfriend's computer for recording, I'd probably just quit and

get into motorcycles or fishing. The agony of using a disgustingly dirty operating system

would be tougher than climbing Everest.

Recording Software Is Easy To Use

While there is always a learning curve using anything, (a toilet, a car, Internet Explorer) once

a person understands their recording software, they find that it is very easy to use.

Some people get it into their head that operating recording software requires the type of

jargon they use in the control room of Apollo 13. You don't need Ed Harris physics equations

to select the input for a track, arm it, and hit the red button (the “record” button, not the

“destroy Earth” button)!

However, to a person who doesn't understand what “select input” or “arm the track” means,

these may appear to be complicated. All of this stuff is clearly explained in the "getting

started" guide of your favorite recording software and if you don't understand the computer's

lingo, just ask at the RecordingReview.com forum or check out the glossary here.

There can be aspects of learning your recording software that may not be obvious simply by

playing around. To some, this makes the recording software complicated. To me, this makes

the recording software powerful! This means they have a system in place to tackle some of

my crazy, creative ideas and all I have to do is take 3 seconds to read a paragraph in a

manual to understand how the software company has chosen to make my life easier.

24

Note: This is not limited to “crazy” ideas. This means they have a well thought out system for

handling common tasks as well that improve the efficiency of your workflow.

If a person tells you that a certain recording software is complicated, all they are really saying

is they never took the time to actually learn how to use the program as it was intended. We

have tens of thousands of members at RecordingReview.com who are better at using their

recording software than they are at cooking mac & cheese or driving a stick shift. So you can

do it!

Computer Recording Systems Are Modular

While there are more links in the chain that can go wrong, if something breaks or you decide

that you want to upgrade, you simply replace that one component. If you decide you need

more RAM, installing memory is a snap, literally. If your audio interface malfunctions, you can

simply send it back to the manufacturer or get a new one. If you need to upgrade from a 2

input to a 40 input audio interface, it's no big deal. In fact, upgrading to a full blown new

system isn't that big of a deal.

For example, just last night I ordered a brand new computer. I plan on using the exact same

audio interface, recording software, plugins, etc. Nothing should change other than the

performance of my system. All my projects should open up the same as they did before. I'm

not aware of any standalone recorder upgrades that can make this claim.

Expansion Is Easy

Expansion with a computer system is simple. If you decide that you need to put together a 40

input setup, it's possible to do if you get your hands on the right audio interfaces. I know of no

standalone, all-in-one recorder that allows for the recording of 40 simultaneous tracks.

Huge Assortment of Plugins

There are tons of plugins out there in a variety of formats and many of them are free. This

gives you quite a bit of flexibility in finding the right compressor or reverb for the job. Of

course, this only applies to people who find it necessary to use specific effects for specific

25

tasks. I definitely use certain plugins for specific tasks. I'd be lost if I was stuck with the stock

reverb in a standalone unit.

Laptops Are Portable

The ability to record music anywhere is very possible with a laptop recording rig. With a bus

powered audio interface you can make music on the beach.

Total Creative Control For Weird Stuff

• Reversing a track, putting delay on it, and then flipping it back takes seconds.

• Reducing the “ess” in a vocal track by a few dB without using a de-esser.

• Turning a plugin off and on quickly and automatically.

• Using the same plugin 8 times on the same track is an option. You are not limited to

using one compressor and one EQ in recording software. In my software of choice, I

can easily use 8 distortions in a row without a problem. Granted, I've never actually

used 8 distortions in a row, but can your standalone recorder do this?

Some of these are gimmicky tricks that may not interest you for more organic styles of music.

However, many of these features are used in every genre of music from folk to death metal.

An example of this is volume automation. You can automate just about anything with most

recording programs. We'll discuss that in great detail in Killer Home Recording: Murderous

Mixing.

Better Routing Than A Real Console

Advanced mixing techniques often require advanced routing. For example, it's common for

me to send the snare and kick drum to a bus where I aggressively compress. This technique,

26

known as parallel compression, allows me blend in a slammed-all-to-hell kick and snare drum

without affecting the original source. When I send a vocal to a delay, I often want that delay

to be fed to a reverb. In Cubase, I can route a delay on one bus into a reverb on an aux send

allowing me to create effects that wouldn't be possible otherwise. These kinds of advanced

mixing tricks aren't possible in most standalone recorders.

You Don't Need To Understand Computers To Record With A Computer

I don't think a strong understanding of computers is necessary to record music just as it is not

necessary to understand what is really going on in a standalone box. You definitely do not

need a computer science or electrical engineering degree to make great music at home!!

Later on I will walk you through the basics of the computer guts because I think it's very

important for a person recording music in the modern era to feel a little more comfortable

opening the lid to their computer.

Backing Up Data Is Easy

If I want to make a backup of a project I'm working on, it's as simple as copying and pasting

that project's folder onto a second hard drive. Done. If the band decides they want to keep

an archive of all tracks for use down the road, I simply drag that folder into my DVD burning

software and hit burn.

Easier To Get Help Online

If I encounter a problem with Windows and Cubase, the number of people online who use

both Windows and Cubase is huge. The same can be said for just about every recording

software and major operating system. Getting help for a specific hardware box from one

manufacturer puts you into a much smaller group and getting help for that one specific unit

can be very difficult.

Note: I've run the forum at RecordingReview.com for a long time now. The odds of

standalone recording questions to go unanswered is much greater than that of recording

software. This is just the nature of the beast. There are so many proprietary standalone

27

recorders out there that forces tend to get divided on a general recording website.

Drawbacks of Computers For Recording

More links in the chain

It can be a pain getting the audio interface, computer, and recording software all to work

together as a team. I've torn my hair out in agony several times over the years with this one.

If you follow the “Avoid The Problem In The First Place” section later on, your chances of

having problems are tremendously reduced. Once you get the problems weeded out, you'll

probably have a reliable system for years and years. In fact, you'll forget that you are

recording on a computer at all. You'll just sit down, and record.

Unfortunately, pretty much everyone has to go through a few mega-headaches before they

get their system working well. Once it's setup, life is good, but getting there can be a real

chore.

Desktops Are Not Exactly Portable

It is a pain to carry a desktop recording system to another location. The keyboard, monitor,

mouse and tower make setting up for location recording a real hassle. It's certainly not

impossible, but you are probably underestimating how time consuming it really is.

Relies On The Eyes

Unfortunately using a computer puts your brain into “visual” mode. This takes power away

from your ears and gives it to your eyes. This is handy when dealing with a member of the

opposite sex, but it's not so handy with mixing. When I think a mix is complete, I turn off the

computer monitors before I listen.

28

User Must Be Comfortable On A Computer

There are people who get nervous just sitting in front of a computer screen. I'm the exact

opposite, I get anxious when I'm not in front of a computer screen! (See “Revenge of the

Nerds”) I think that people who panic around computers are simply scared they are going to

break them: it's the same reason why I'm uneasy holding babies. A person has to go out of

their way to “break" a recording computer. I once dumped hot coffee on my computer's

motherboard, while it was running, and lived to tell about it without any damage (don't try this

one at home).

As much as I wish I could say "get over your fear already", if anyone said to me “Here, hold

my snake”, I'd have to punch them with a really long arm. Then again, computers don't have

venom.

Computers Can Have A Mind Of Their Own

Even when you have a strong understanding of how computers work, they sometimes get into

moods that makes them very hard to work with. I've had recording computers that have

worked extremely well for over two years that suddenly ran incredibly slow. This sort of thing

can happen. It's common for problems to occur while recording and editing audio because

the process is so damn demanding on a computer.

While I do feel that computers are a reliable tool in recording land, don't be surprised if some

day you find yourself needing more RAM and storage space to keep up with ever evolving

demands.

Which sounds better? A standalone box or a

properly setup computer recording rig?

To a person who doesn't need any of the added features and functionality of a computer

recording system, they sound the same. Plugging a microphone into the input of a

standalone box or computer audio interface should end up sounding identical.

29

However, this question can depends on how far you want to take it. Features definitely

impact sound. We've talked about the advantages of using specific plugins for specific tasks.

I love to layer drum samples beneath recorded drum tracks. I've never heard of any

standalone machines that are capable of this.

We could take it even further. In my recording software, it's no big deal for me to fire up a

software sampler and select super high quality samples of a string section. You can't get

samples like this in a hardware sampler and you certainly won't find them included in any

standalone recorder I am aware of.

Hardware samplers do not have enough RAM. (We'll discuss this later.) So if I wanted to use

my standalone recorder with a built in sequencer, I would not have access to the quality of

string sounds that I have available on a computer rig.

So, overall sound quality is the same in for standalone recorders and computer recording, but

the potential for enhancement is much greater in computer recordings.

Which is better for me? A standalone box or a

properly setup computer recording rig?

I can't answer that without lots of info and a strong understanding of your personal needs.

Generally speaking, as illustrated above, standalone boxes do not dig as deep into the

recording process as computers do. Standalone boxes are not nearly as useful for advanced

tactics that experienced engineers may need. A person who records strictly audio may do

fine with a standalone box.

For all practical purposes, one can compare recording on a standalone box to recording on a

tape machine. The big difference is in the mixing hardware. Mid-level and up recording

software can do pretty much anything the most expensive mixing consoles in the world can

do. You can't expect a $400 standalone recorder to have all the mixing features found on an

SSL J9000. It ain't gonna happen.

30

I can't recall anyone who switched to a computer for recording that ever went back to a

standalone rig. It's very easy to say “my needs are basic”, until you wish you could do this or

do that. The second you cross that imaginary line, you are officially limited. I only

recommend standalone recorders to people that have a incredible phobia of computers, or to

people who know their needs exactly and are 100% sure they will never step outside of that

box. (You know that guy who still drives his 1977 Ford pickup because there “ain't nothin'

wrong with it”? He will probably be quite content with his standalone recorder from here until

eternity.)

As for the “phobia”, if you pee your pants when you see a computer, I'd recommend a

standalone recorder. Other than that, you'll grow into it.

I've recorded quite a bit of music. I've worked with musicians who are very “organic” and

wouldn't be caught dead using synths, samples, and MIDI. Even when working with die-hard

purist musicians, there is always a point where they take advantage of some modern

computer feature that doesn't work on a linear recording method. For example, just the other

day I was mixing a band that recorded their entire album live in the studio with very few

overdubs. The singer came in a bit early on one part. He asked me if I could slide this note

back just a hair. It made all the difference in the world. This would not be realistic in the tape

machine world without pulling out the razor blade and it certainly would take more than the

2.5 seconds it took to achieve this. Will a standalone recorder be able to do this? Not sure.

I'd guess that some can, but which ones? Good luck figuring that out. I can't imagine even

the cheapest recording software out there not being able to do this.

In the end, without knowing your needs, it is difficult to guess which method is right for you.

Because computer recording is naturally more flexible, it's easier for me to recommend a

computer recording rig.

31

Why I Consider Standalone Recorders To Be More

Complicated

Simply put, I hate when I'm at a buddy's house and he brings out his standalone digital

recorder. I'm completely lost on these things. When I watch a person work on one of them,

it's clear to me just how much effort has to go into learning a proprietary system that simply

won't be of any use the second a person upgrades to the new model in a few years.

Seriously, just learn to fly a helicopter. It would be easier than some of the gadgets I've dealt

with!

It upsets me that a person has to work so hard to learn things that are second nature to me in

my recording software. They could have used that time to focus on improving their audio

engineering skills or writing better songs. I'm going to list a few reasons why I believe

standalone recorders are more complicated for me. You may not feel the same way and it's

very possible that I've only dealt with the most complicated of them all. I'm simply trying to

illustrate why I wouldn't want to go this route and warn you of what to watch out for.

Not Enough Buttons

I remember the big trend where remote controls for the home stereo, TV, etc, were using a

fraction of the buttons. I'm sure this made manufacturing the remote control easier and less

expensive, but it required the use of a 2nd and even 3rd button. In other words, one button

would actually have three different functions depending on if you hit the 2nd key, 3rd key, or

nothing before hitting that button. To me this is a total nightmare. I consider products like this

to be totally unfriendly to the user and a complete distraction when attempting to excite the

creative part of the brain.

I can't say that all standalone recorders have this 2nd and 3rd key problem, but enough have it

for me to make a point about it. I realize that there may be limited physical space on a

recorder for the layout of features and functions. It just so happens that my recording

software can cram in two zillion features, all hiding behind a menu or two. Even my budget

32

17” CRT screens are capable of offering plenty of visual real estate. Simply put, physical

space is not limited in a computer because we can simply open and close a window. I find

that this method of working is faster to learn and easier to use in the long run.

Not Enough Visual When Visual Is Important

I want to start by saying that it's easy to get sucked into putting way too much emphasis on

what you are seeing and not nearly enough on what you are hearing. Then again, there are

times when editing with your eyes can make the job easier. For example, let's say we

punched in a bass part and it sounds a little funny. In just about any recording software, I can

zoom in and quickly adjust the point in time where the new chunk of audio fade begins.

There are often cases where this is easier to accomplish using your eyes.

High gain electric guitars are always noisy. It's the nature of the beast that there is going to

be a little hiss when the guitar isn't playing. I like to go in and simply cut out all the parts in an

electric guitar track where no guitar is being played to avoid the distraction that this noise can

bring. It takes seconds when you can see it on a screen. A person could use a gate for this

same application, but there are a number of possible drawbacks. Being able to see the noise

makes it very easy to delete the bad stuff and keep the good stuff.

Again, not all standalone recorders will suffer from this problem. I know some standalone

recorders can use VGA computer monitors or even have detailed LCD screens themselves.

However, enough standalone recorders do have problems handling the visual from time to

time to make it an issue. Once again, this is the kind of feature that you won't think to ask

about until you have shelled out the big bucks for a standalone recorder. Hopefully, it's not

too late.

Simple Stuff Might Be A Pain

It's very common for the band to request an echo on specific words. Of course, this is easily

done by automating the level of an aux send feeding a delay. On an analog console, you'd

simply have to do the automation yourself by twisting a knob at a specific time. In Cubase,

it's as simple as clicking a button that says “read”, selecting the parameter that needs to be

33

automated (volume, effects on/off, aux sends, panning, and just about anything else you can

think of), and start drawing lines. I can also manually control the level real time with a mouse

on the fader and record this as an “automation performance” or I can use a hardware control

surface. This process is robo simple and can be accomplished in seconds.

Although I haven't used Logic, Digital Performer, or Pro Tools enough to be considered

anywhere near proficient, I'm confident that popping open the manual for 60 seconds will give

me all the info I need to effectively utilize automation in a mix. In my experience, some

standalone recorders don't even have this kind of functionality (AHHHH!). Again, there are

probably some standalone boxes that do hit the nail on the head, but which ones? While

automation is a big deal for just about every mixing engineer I know, it's not something that

you intuitively think of when you are trying to make sure that you don't waste a grand or three.

Frankly, I'm spoiled from using recording software for so long. Even the cheapest recording

software out there has made concessions things I am never going to need to do. In most

cases, recording software is complete overkill and way more powerful than anyone recording

at home really needs. However, there is a peace of mind knowing that those features are

there if or when I need them. I don't have that same confidence when working on a

standalone box.

After You Know How

A much bigger issue involves the workflow of the unit after you know how to use it. I'm sure

there are standalone recorders that are very fast and easy to use in the middle of an intense

session. Then again, I've seen the most simple things take way too long. You can't afford to

kill the vibe when the artists is firing on all cylinders.

Q: Does it require more money to get great results out a computer?

A: Hmm. This depends on what "good results" mean to you. Generally speaking, I'd say the

results are the same, your tracking requirements will dictate the price. If you need to record a

34

live band with 20 individual inputs, it's going to be expensive no matter what you do. If you

program drums and then overdub everything, a person could do it with a single channel audio

interface and a cheap (or even free) audio recording program. It just depends on your

individual needs.

I've encountered guys who have done “guerrilla” style recording on a ridiculously low budget

using computers, and have cranked out some amazing recordings. With that said, it's easy to

throw a bunch of money into the computer, recording software and audio interface. I think

people tend to purchase fancy toys they don't really need and this often leads to spending a

fortune on gear that doesn't offer any substantial improvements to their recordings.

So, I stick with my original claim that there are little fidelity differences between the two

regardless of price.

All Drum Machines Are Not Created Equal“ ”

I've noticed recently that many users have been disappointed by the drum sounds in their

standalone recorders. While I certainly haven't heard all standalone recorders, the ones that

I've come in direct contact with have been of the early 90's persuasion. CORNY!!!!

So if it is important to you to have a method for creating drums, you may want to take a

serious listen to the modern drum samples that are only available on the computer side of the

fence. The difference is staggering. I consider the “drum machines” I've heard in standalone

recorders to be 1/millionth as powerful when natural drum sounds are required. Most people

will be 10,000 times happier purchasing some of the modern samples out there.

Check them out here: http://forum.recordingreview.com/f21/realistic-drum-samples-891/

Reasons I Use Recording Software

This is a list of reasons that I prefer using computers to record. In no way am I claiming that

35

any one method is superior or that any of these features are necessary for you. I'm simply

giving reasons why computer based recording is the only method to meet my needs and

maybe this will help give some insight as to which direction you should go.

• I like being able to record three (or more) tracks of vocals and then quickly edit

together the best parts. I'm sure this can be done on most standalone recorders, but I

can't imagine doing it as quickly and easily as I do it in my recording software.

• I like being able to download new plugins and add them to a new mix. Different flavors

of reverb, delay, distortion, compression, etc, add to the possibilities.

• I like samplers:

◦ I always have access to pro sounding drums using samples from Superior

Drummer, Steven Slate Drums, or BFD.

◦ If I really need an orchestra, I've got it.

◦ If there is something I don't have, I could order it in five minutes.

• I like 3rd party synths – Just like with plugins, the expandability of a computer is pretty

much infinite.

• I like that I didn't learn a proprietary system on a standalone box – One could argue

that I did have to learn proprietary software, but I'm confident that when I finally get

around to upgrading, Cubase will not have changed that much. As far as that goes, I

can upgrade my entire computer and stick with my current software for years to come.

• I like that I rarely have trouble getting my questions answered in regard to my

recording software. The user base for the major software manufacturers is so large

that I feel like I'm much more likely to get my questions answered than with standalone

recorders.

• I like that I can record MIDI triggers and mics on drums at the same time. Not all

standalone recorders have a MIDI sequencer.

• I like the fact that if one component breaks my entire recording rig isn't dead.

• I like how easy it is to backup files on a PC.

• I like the fact that I can easily burn all individual tracks of an album to a DVD or two so

I can mix later.

36

• I like how much computer power I can get for a very low price.

• I like knowing that in three years I will have dramatically more recording power than I

do now.

• I like unlimited track counts.

• I like having excellent routing possibilities. With my current setup I can give out 5

individual stereo mixes with zero latency. With a few upgrades, I could get that number

up to 9.

I answer way too many threads at the RecordingReview.com where users of standalone

recorders can't figure out how to get their tracks into their computer! Way too many people

who own standalone recorders try to come up with some kind of hybrid method to mix

computers and standalone recorders.

Q What About Digital Recorders That Function Like:

Tape Machines?

A: I had this section mostly wrapped up until I was

asked a fairly unique question on the forum recently.

The dude had been using the old school ADATs (that

record digital data on VCR tapes), had plenty of analog

gear and really had no need for the additional features

offered by recording software. He didn't need fancy

editing. He didn't use MIDI. He simply wanted to be

able to record his music in a natural way.

He was under the impression that computer recording somehow sounded better than straight

to hard disk type recording (without the computer). His situation was unique in that his music

simply did not need the fancy editing features, fancy MIDI features, or any of the modern

features we often debate about and he had already purchased the expensive analog

37

Here's an ADAT Recorder

hardware for mixing.

Some people live in fear of being “left behind” in the technological revolution. I read in a

recent issue of Tape Op that a band recorded an album on the old wax cylinders invented by

Thomas Edison. If an album can be made on wax cylinders after the year 2000, I'm confident

that analog tape and non-computer recording methods will be around for a long time.

You may wonder what the difference is between a standalone digital recorder box and the

tape style digital recorders I'm referring to now. The tape style digital recorders do nothing

but record and play back audio on individual tracks just like tape machines. They look very

similar to the old ADATs but now use hard drives. They have very few other features other

than stop, rewind, and record. You arm a given track for recording by pressing a button. It

records when you hit the red button. That's pretty much it.

In order to use these types of recorders you need a mixer, plenty of hardware EQ's,

compressors, reverbs, and any other effects you plan to use must also be outboard. Tape-

style recorders have zero effects, zero processing ability, and do not even offer a way to

control volume. There is no “saving” a mix for complete recall later unless you have a

retardedly expensive high-end console that is equipped with such a feature.

The benefits of working with this kind of system are more an issue of

philosophy:

• Some people are happier working on a real mixer / console with real faders. (Of

course, you can drop a grand to get a control surface that does this with computer

recording).

• Some people hate the computer mouse with a passion. A tape-style digital recorder

uses no conventional computer and therefore requires no mouse.

• There are some big benefits to not using your eyes to record music.

• Some people actually consider being limited to X number of tracks beneficial (I

generally agree)

38

• All ins and outs can be used at the same time.

There are some disadvantages of tape style recording.

Price

While a tape style digital recorder doesn't seem to cost much more than a high end audio

interface and recording software, you must factor in the power of all the EQs, delays, reverbs,

compressors, and other plugins within a computer recording rig. Purchasing outboard gear

can get extremely expensive compared to how a $1,000 plugin package could handle all your

needs for years to come. If you buy a compressor plugin for $200, you can use it on every

track in your mix if you feel like it (as long as your computer can handle it). However, you can

only use a hardware compressor ($500-5,000) on one single track during mixing.

You can do the math. For a 24 channel mixer, 10-15 compressors, 10-15 outboard EQ

channels, 4 reverbs, 2 delays, a patchbay, and a ton of cabling you are going to be blowing

your kid's college money on something that is only marginally better than strippers and coke.

Software can do all of this for a geometrically smaller price.

Recall

Recalling a mix is often impossible for any mixing console a typical home recording human

can afford (digital consoles are an exception). This means you must finish the mix of one

song before moving to the next one. I personally prefer a few “first drafts” for a handful of

songs before committing to a mix. It's very rare that I get a mix exactly how I want it without

going back and making changes. This is huge for home recording dudes/chicks who may not

have accurate monitoring conditions. I would have been completely lost for years and years

of recording if I didn't have the ability to quickly and easily open up a mix to make subtle

changes.

It's also nice to be able to switch to programming some techno or orchestra thing and take a

39

break from a bluegrass mix. Being able to switch gears is virtually impossible with the tape

machine method.

Backups

Believe it or not, Windows does make some things easier in our lives. Backing up is as

simple as copying a folder from one hard drive to another. It takes seconds to initiate the

process. I'm not sure how long it would take on a tape style digital recorder or if all of them

can backup their data.

Sampling

A person would need some kind of external MIDI sequencer that was synced up to the tape

style digital recorder in order to use synths and samplers. In this case, hardware samplers are

often limited when compared to software samplers of today. So if a person needed powerful

sampling, they'd have to use a computer for that. While a person could certainly use a

computer sampler in a tape machine style studio, it would require a computer and mouse (in

addition the audio interface). This kind of nullifies the benefits of avoiding the computer.

Destructive Punch-Ins

I'm sure this has been taken care on most modern tape-style digital recorders, but the

Vietnam War killed my infatuation with blind faith. In the old days of tape, if a singer decided

they wanted to fix a word, they either had to record over it or record it to another track. If you

are considering going this route, make sure to ask about destructive punch-ins before

purchasing a tape-style recorder. Then again, some purists may even want this. I can see it

having its advantages.

Conclusion

Overall, the computer is just more effective and efficient for me. Because I build computers

40

frequently and have recorded with them for years, I'm very comfortable working with them. If I

purchased a Mackie or Alesis tape style digital recorder and I had a technical problem, I'm not

sure where I would even start. I have a feeling it would get scary and expensive. Though the

tape machine style of recorder isn't right for me, it is almost right for me. I'd love to make a

recording with my ears only. I like the idea of having a real console in addition to the mouse.

I don't like the idea of paying for it.

The price of hardware and lack of instant recall would have a very negative effect on the way

I work. Many bands would miss the advanced editing features that I employ with my Cubase

rig.

If I had $100k to throw away, I would consider going the tape machine route. Then again, I

would still need a rig for programming my dumb techno tunes. There would be times when I

would want to take advantage of specific features that are only possible within the computer.

This is when things get unnecessarily complicated. So maybe I'm better off just sticking to

what I have!

Before You Buy

If you've decided that a standalone recorder is right for you, there are specific features that

you need to look out for when selecting one. Make sure to ask around and do the research

ahead of time. Here are a few keywords to look for:

Simultaneous Inputs

A recorder may have 32 tracks, but you may only get to record on 8 or 10 of them at the same

time.

Preamps

A recorder may only contain mic preamps for a limited number of channels. It's easy to inflate

these numbers, similar to how some analog mixers have 16 channels but only 12 contain mic

preamps. The other four may be line-level only.

41

MIDI

Not all standalone recorders have a MIDI sequencer. That's only part of it. You need to find

out if the standalone recorder has any synths or samples included. It may only be the

sequencer. What quality are those synths or samples? Are they going to sound like the worst

thing since 1984? Are they going to work for your music? Can you add 3rd party synths and

samples?

Computer Editing

Most people automatically assume that their standalone recorder will make computer

manipulation a breeze. I've encountered way too many people who have been entirely

unhappy with the computer integration. Do some homework on this one.

Third Party Processing

Do you require third party plugins and processing? You should look to see if your standalone

recorder will be able to handle it. Do you have a rackmount reverb? Can your recorder

accommodate that easily?

Multiple Headphone Mixes

Will you ever be in a situation where the drummer and bass player track simultaneously (or

any other musicians) and need different headphone mixes? Make sure your standalone can

handle it.

CD-Burner

Most standalone recorders are going to have this, but don't let your guard down. Some have

gone to mp3 player recording only. Don't let you guard down.

Popular Options

Here are some standalone recorders that are very popular and you may want to check out.

I've never used any of them so don't blame me if they catch fire and burn your house down.

42

Zoom HD16CD

Reviews at Recording Review More details at Musician's Friend - Zzounds

Korg D3200

Reviews at Recording Review More details at Musician's Friend – Zzounds

TASCAM 2488neo

Reviews at Recording Review More details at Musician's Friend - Zzounds

43

Overview Of The Computer Recording Process

A) The sound is picked up by a microphone.

B) An analog signal is passed through an XLR cable to the audio interface.

C) In this case, the preamps and analog to digital converter are bundled within the

audio interface.

D) The digital signal is sent from the audio interface to the computer.

E) The signal is routed to the software within the computer. *

F) The recording software manipulates the signal.

G) The signal is routed through the outputs of the stereo bus in the recording software

and back out to the computer. *

H) The digital signal flows from the recording computer back to the audio interface.

I) The signal is converted from digital to analog and sent to the studio monitors.

44

Graphic provided by DT_Chris from http://www.darktownstudios.com

* These are the two areas that most beginners have problems with. You must select the

inputs and outputs within your recording software.

45

Routing Getting Started:

A fundamental part of recording music is understanding how the audio signal flows through

the various components. Audio can seem like a complicated topic, but once you understand

how audio flows in and out of your system, the concept gets quite a bit easier to grasp. In a

lot of ways, this sort of thing is very simple, but as usual, it's tough when you don't know how.

It reminds of when my grandpa taught me how to tie my shoe...kinda.

Hardware Mixer Routing

While I haven't recommended a hardware mixer for home recording since 'Nam, (I was born

in 1980) I feel that they offer an easy way to understand what is going on in terms of routing

on just about any recording system. All recording software systems that I've encountered are

designed to emulate a hardware mixer and by covering the hardware stuff, I think it's safe to

avoid any software specific issues that may arise.

You'll notice that our mixer here has been shortened. This mixer, the Mackie 1604, normally

has 16 channels, but I just happen to be handy with a battle ax. Now it has two.

Fair warning: This section is going to suck. I've done my best to simplify it. If you hate this

section, email me and maybe I can improve it.

46

Using a Mixer in Home Recording Land THIS YEAR

I realize that many of you are still using a mixer for home recording, but have no clue how to

hook it up. In this section, I'm going to give you the straight-to-the-point way I would hook it

up. Keep in mind that if you had a modern audio interface, hooking it up would consist of

running a Firewire or USB 2.0 cable to your computer, and there would be no need for this

mess. My point is not to belittle you guys stuck using mixers. My point is that we have flying

cars now, and the horses take a whole lot of feeding to get to the proper altitude.

This is MY way, so don't get wound up if you would do it differently. If you already have a

functional mixer setup, this section is not for you. This is for the guys who are tearing their

hair out.

A Few Guidelines

• I'm mixing in the box. Even though I have this doohickey called a “hardware mixer,” I

will not be using it for mixing. I do that in my recording software. A typical home-

recording mixer can not do what I want without $50,000 in hardware. Even then, most

still can't do what I want it to do.

• On the way in, the only function of the mixer is the preamp boosting. All those other

knobs are pretty much useless. We are going to hook our mic to channel one, boost its

gain with the preamp “trim” knob, and split out via the insert directly to the audio

interface.

• On the way out, our mixer can serve as a volume control for our studio monitors and

headphones. That's about it.

• I'm monitoring within my recording software. I have big reasons for this, which I'm

hiding from you now, because I'm trying to keep this simple. This means that if we are

recording a vocal, that vocal flows into Cubase (for me), to its own track all by itself,

and then I can compress it and add EQ/reverb/delay/etc. Then, that vocal will be

mixed with the other tracks and flow out the master stereo channel. This flows to the

mixer. Again, this makes the mixer little more than a preamp. If you are wondering

47

why I'm monitoring in the mix, try playing guitar using an emulator or trigger a VST

instrument via MIDI. It'll be obvious.

Basic Assumptions

• Your mixer has inserts. Without inserts on each channel, we may have a headache. I

don't recommend buying mixers anymore, but I really don't recommend buying them if

they don't have inserts on every channel. Life is too short! Without inserts, we'll have

to use aux sends or busses to get the signal out of the mixer to the interface. This can

be problematic, because some cheapo mixers of this variety automatically route the

sound coming out of the computer with sound we are trying to record. Recording this

will mix the track we are recording with the mix in the computer and cause a

catastrohe. The workarounds are often a messy, complicated headache, which are too

easily avoided these days with a good ole $350 interface.

• You have a low-latency audio interface that's pretty stripped of features. (No preamps,

no DSP routing matrix, etc). Good examples of this are the M-Audio Delta 1010 or M-

Audio 2496. Both have ins, outs, and little else, but do it with low latency. If you are

using a stock soundcard incapable of low-latency operating, this method won't work.

• The buffer on the audio interface cannot be any higher than 192 samples. If so,

latency will be distracting. If you get clicks and pops, you've got bigger issues (which

we deal with elsewhere in this book). For now, just get it working, and we'll go from

there.

• You read this section at ¼ speed. If you try to read this like you would the newspaper,

it's going to sound way too complicated. Take your time and take huge breaths

between sentences and bulleted items.

• You promise to relax!? I'm not sure what it is about adults, but if someone were to

teach us how to tie our shoe for the first time, many of us would freak out. Calm down.

Relax. Accept that you don't know this stuff, so you can actually learn it!

48

The Setup

I'm recording a vocal on top of tracks I've already recorded.

• Vocal mic is plugged into channel #1 via XLR.

• We crank up to the preamp a little bit.

• I toss a 1/4” cable into the insert of channel #1. I push it all the way in. This means the

vocal leaves the mixer and does not come back. This makes routing and such

irrelevant. (Not everyone will do this, yet this is how I would do it. I have my reasons.)

• I plug that cable into Channel #1 Input on the audio interface.

• I create a new track in Cubase and select Channel #1 (from the busses I already set

up).

• When our singer talks/sings, we should see a signal coming in.

The singer will not be able to hear themselves just yet.

The signal must flow out of Cubase and out of the audio interface via outputs 1 and 2. Those

signals should then flow to the last 2 channels of the mixer (I do this to keep things simple).

I'll pan #1 to the left and #2 to the right. This will be routed so it flows through the master

fader on the mixer and flows out to our studio monitors.

When we hit play in Cubase, we should hear our previously-recorded tracks on our monitors.

Also, we'll want to route out our stereo-mix signal to the headphones for our singer.

Assuming we have the monitor button engaged in Cubase (to allow the incoming signal to

come in....as opposed to the track we may have already recorded), the singer should hear

themselves. Again, this signal is 1) flowing through Channel #1 on the mixer, 2) quickly

diverted to the interface, 3) ran through Cubase and its internal mixer, and 4) ran back out

into the stereo channel of the mixer.

49

Recording 2 Tracks At Once

If I want to record a singer in one room and an acoustic guitar player in the other, I'll toss a

mic on the acoustic guitar, run that to channel #2 of the mixer, through the insert of channel

#2, to channel #2 on the interface, to a new track in Cubase routed to get signal from the

Channel #2 bus, and through the Cubase mixer. We've already got our output figured out

from before. (The multiple headphones issue could be problematic, but we can feed a

headphone amp a single headphone mix, and it can power 2, 4, 6, etc. headphones in the

same mix. For this application, this should be fine. See more when I cover headphone

amps.)

The same process works whether we are recording 2 tracks over 40 tracks simultaneously.

50

A) Preamp - This is the knob we twist to crank up the signal coming from our microphone,

synth, drum machine, etc. We cover preamps in detail elsewhere, but just remember this is

where you juice up the signal in the first place.

51

B) Auxiliary sends - We have four “aux sends" with this mixer. Each one is little more than a

1/4” output which we have the option of sending somewhere in addition to where the signal

normally flows through the mixer.

What does an aux send do? Think of it as a pipe. We can send whatever we want through it

(in terms of audio, obviously). This pipe is extra and has nothing to do with the usual flow of

audio in a mixer...hence the name “auxiliary”.

What do we send it to? We send it to whatever we want. We can send this signal to a

reverb, a delay, a headphone amplifier. If we really wanted to, we could send the signal to an

input on an audio interface, but there are reasons we may not want to do that (see below).

It's also common to use this signal to feed wedge monitors in a live sound situation.

When we send out a headphone mix, we'll want a nice balance of kick, snare, overheads,

bass, guitars, keys, vocals, etc, but we may want more or less of different instruments

depending on the player. Since each channel feeds to these "pipes", it makes it easy to

create a custom mix.

When we send a signal to a reverb, we may only want to send just a vocal or maybe just a

snare drum or both. It's all possible by manipulating how much of a given channel we send.

Aux sends are one of the most difficult parts of a mixer to understand for beginners, but they

really are super simple once you get the hang of it. Regardless of their learning curve, aux

sends are outrageously powerful. In other words, they are worth the damn effort so learn it!

C) Equalizer - The top knob lets us boost or cut the highs (treble). The second knob lets us

adjust the mids. The white knob underneath it allows us to adjust the frequency of the mids

for added control. The bottom knob gives us control over the low end (bass).

This EQ isn't nearly as flexible as the parametric EQ in your typical recording software. We'll

cover that in much greater depth in Killer Home Recording: Murderous Mixing.

The little button underneath the low end EQ knob is a high pass filter (otherwise known as a

low-cut filter) which essentially removes all the deep bass in a track. We'll cover the purpose

for that in "Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering and Murderous Mixing".

52

D) Pan - Turn it all the way clockwise and the signal moves entirely to the right speaker. Turn

it all the way counter clockwise and the signal flows entirely to the left speaker. This allows us

to determine where we want to place our instruments in the stereo field. For center panning,

we set it to 12 o'clock.

This concept of panning is one that often baffles beginners. Let's take Channel 15 in this

example. If we plug a mic into Channel 15 and start hollering, we have a mono source.

Because we have this whole panning mechanism (either hardware or software) we have the

ability to place that single mono source dead center so that it comes out of both speakers

equally. Some beginners mistakenly get this idea that you need a stereo track to get sound

out of both speakers. By definition, a mono signal comes out of both speakers.

E) Volume fader and routing busses - After the signal has flowed from the preamp, aux

sends, EQ, and panning knobs we can now adjust the overall level of the signal we are

passing onward by adjusting the white fader. This is fairly straight forward. What isn't so

straight forward is the buttons just to the right of the white fader. This is where routing comes

into play. Let's dig in.

This particular mixer has four mono busses. What is a bus? It's basically a path where audio

can flow allowing you to group several instruments together. I realize this is a generic

meaning now but we'll give it some real world context down below.

F) Aux send return levels – You control the amount of level being returned from your aux with

these knobs. Not all mixers have them. When using the aux sends for headphone mixes,

there really isn't any point to bring that signal back to the mixer. The headphone amp got it's

signal. Case closed. However, if we send a vocal to a delay box, we obviously want to hear

that delayed signal. We can send it out of the delay box to the aux returns or we could send it

to a channel in our mixer if we require EQ, the use of more aux sends, or fancy routing for our

delayed sound. It really depends on the mixer.

G) Meter and headphone phone monitoring – The LED meter gives us a visual indication of

how much signal we are dealing with. Most people would prefer their stereo bus (2bus) be

sent to the meter, but we have options. The 4 grey buttons on the left side of the box

53

determine which signals are being routed to the LED meter and headphone/control room mix.

H) Bus assignments – As stated before, we have 4 mono busses here. These options for left

and right are semi-confusing and really aren't important to the routing concepts to anyone

who isn't using this specific mixer. For 99% of all applications, we'll simply route the left to 1,

the right to 2, the left to 3, and the right to 4.

I) Bus fader – All signals sent to Bus 1-2 will flow through these faders before they get to the

master fader. If the bus faders are down, we will not hear any signals assigned to those

faders. If we routed 8 channels of drums to bus 1-2, (the first two faders) we could then

control the volume of all the drums with just these two faders. I'd call this the “drum bus”.

They have other processing powers which we'll discuss later on.

J) Master stereo fader / 2bus – This is the final output. All signals have been combined and

are fed to the final fader to control the stereo output of the mixer.

Q: Why not send an aux send to an audio interface input?

While we certainly can send an aux to an audio interface input, most mixers have a limited

number of aux sends. In the case of our mixer here, we only have four. So if we are relying

on our aux sends, we are only going to be able to record four simultaneous tracks. If we are

recording a live band with 14 inputs, this obviously isn't going to work.

Using this mixer and assuming the audio interface only had line-level inputs (no mic

preamps), I'd tap into the inserts of each channel by placing a 1/4” cable half-way into the

inserts jack. Don't worry! It's designed to do that.

Aux Send Uses

I talk about parallel compression quite a bit. This means I send a signal (we'll say a snare

drum in this case) to a compressor by physically plugging in a 1/4” cable into the Aux 1 output

and connecting it to an outboard compressor. We then bring that back on another channel (if

we want to further process it) or to the aux return if we want to free up as many channels as

54

possible. For our purposes here, we'll assume we have plenty of channels and would like to

manipulate the compressed signal and will therefore route the output of the compressor to a

channel on the board.

The idea is to adjust the level of signal I'm sending via the Aux 1 knob on the snare channel. I

then play with the settings on my compressor before sending that signal back to a separate

channel for me to blend in the mix however I see fit. Since the signal is flowing through an

audio channel in the mixer, I can utilize all the features such as EQ or additional aux sends

that might be feeding to a reverb or delay.

Feedback Loops

Basically, a feedback loop is a dog chasing its tail. The input goes through the output which is

totally normal, and then the output immediately goes back into the input. This is not-so-

normal. In audio, this causes a high pitched squeal. You've surely heard it in PA systems

(not so desirable) or guitar amps (much more desirable). Anytime the audio output gets into

the input at excessive levels, feedback occurs.

In our case, we sent our snare through Aux 1, then we compressed it and brought it back to a

new channel. If we sent it back through Aux 1 on that new channel the signal would route to

the compressor, back to the new channel, back to the compressor, and so on, resulting in

feedback.

Digging Into Routing

We have a few different options for routing with this mixer. After a signal has made its way

down to the volume fader, we can send it directly to the main stereo output if we so choose.

This is a good default setting. We can also send it to any of the two stereo busses if we like.

Why would we like that? We'll get into that. We can send it to just the individual busses or

the master bus or any combination of those. We could even send the signal nowhere. Let’s

make some sense of this.

Let's pretend I didn't pull out my battle ax and the mixer you see here had all 16 inputs. Let’s

say that 10 of them were drums, 1 bass, 2 electric guitars, 1 lead vocal, and 2 background

vocals. There went our 16 inputs! Let's say the mix is pretty good, but the drums are too

55

loud. It's not necessarily just the snare or kick, the mix is good but all the drums need to go

down in overall level. We could certainly go through and pull down each fader by 3dB, but

there is a much better, more powerful way.

By routing all the drums to a bus or “subgroup”, we have total control of their volume before

sending them on to the master fader. Basically, we are going to press the 1-2 button on all

the individual drum channels. That will route them to those first 2 faders I'm pointing to in “I”

in the chart above. This means that if we have the first two subgroup faders all the way down

or not routed to the master fader, we won't hear those pounding round things.

Bus Outputs

This mixer is not exactly a $300,000 console. This is a relatively inexpensive mixer and we

don't see any aux sends, EQ, compression, etc, on the bus channels. We only get a volume

control. We do, however, have 1/4” outputs for each bus. So, we could hook up a stereo

compressor and EQ across that bus and process all our drums at the same time. This is not

the same as having individual compressors and EQs on each channel. We are able to “gel”

the individual drum tracks together in a way that would not be possible if they weren't already

mixed together. Besides, if we are looking for this kind of “gelled” processing, we wouldn't

want to chew up 10 equalizers and 10 compressors when a stereo version of each would do

the trick. We could also send the bus to some kind of recorder, a video camera, or nothing at

all. Just like the aux sends, it's totally up to the user. You never know what you'll think of.

I have another idea. There is more to this functionality than just convenience. We can do

things that simply aren't possible with individual channels. It's a common trick to scoop out

550Hz from all the drums. You can do it by cutting each and every drum @ 550Hz, or you

could do it by simply using one single EQ on the drum bus to make this cut. It's very

convenient and it's easier to get the sounds you are looking for via bus processing.

We could do the same with just about anything. If we had 4 guitar tracks, we could route

them all to a bus and use a single EQ to process them. The possibilities are really endless

once you understand this routing.

So, to sum it all up simply. Don't send large groups of similar instruments directly to the

stereo bus, route them to a subgroup so you can control them all at once.

56

Recording Software Routing

Imagine we have a big complicated mix with 12 tracks of drums, 3 tracks of bass (DI, amp,

and guitar emulator), 4 tracks of electric guitar, 2 tracks of acoustic guitar, 1 lead vocal and 3

backing vocals. With recording software everything is virtual, so we can create as many

group busses as we want (assuming our software has no limitations). Right off the bat I'd

create 5 busses, for drums, bass, electric guitar, vocals, and a master bus that everything

routes to.

By doing this I have dramatically simplified things. For example, if I want a low cut on the

guitars to make room for the bass, I could put an EQ on each guitar track or I could just put

one on the guitar bus. I want to compress the bass as a whole, so I’ll send all three tracks to

the bass bus. I’ll push quite a bit of signal from the DI, a little from the amp, and a little less

from the emulator plugin. I’ll then toss a single mono compressor on to the bass bus, now all

3 bass’s gel together to sound like one. Pretty cool!

Let's say I want to add a bit of natural sounding ambiance to the drums. While this mixer

can't do it, my recording software can. I can create an aux track or “effects track” and slap a

reverb on it. It’s important to set the mix to 100% so no dry signal makes its way out of the

reverb.

Now, instead of sending individual elements of the drums to the reverb, I’ll just send the entire

drum bus. I am feeding an aux with a group so this is still a parallel signal. This means my

drum bus is routed to the master bus, but it's additionally flowing through a “pipe” to my

reverb plugin.

Differences Between Software and Hardware

While the concepts are exactly the same for hardware and software mixers, I wanted to touch

on a few differences. The first major difference is as long as you don't have a limited version

57

of your brand of recording software, (Light or LE versions) you essentially have unlimited

options. Our Mackie 1604 only gives us 4 mono / 2 stereo busses. It's no big deal for me to

fire up 16 stereo busses if I so choose in my recording software. The same can be said for

aux sends as well.

Another major difference is in the handling of returns. In our hardware setup, we had to

physically plug in a cable that allowed signal to flow from Aux 1 to a compressor. Then we

had to bring that signal back to the mixer with another cable routing it to a new channel. With

recording software, all of this is easy as clicking your mouse.

Recap On Routing

I've flapped my jaw on this one much longer than I intended so let’s do a quick summary and

move on.

1. Adjust the amount of signal coming in from the preamp

2. Send the signal via aux sends to wherever we want

3. EQ the signal

4. Pan it

5. Adjust the levels of that channel

6. Send that signal to a bus for further processing and volume control or send it straight to the

master fader or “2bus” as I like to call it.

Sorry. I know that was rough! This will need to be a video or something.

58

Beginner Recording Gear Stuff

Electric Guitar Recording Gear

Situation #1

You are a guitar player. You've got your tone down. You have your amp and you love the

way it sounds.

Recommendation: You simply need a single mic to toss in front of it, and you should be

good to go. Mics I love on electric guitar are, depending on what I'm going for:

• Shure SM57 (Reviews At Recording Review –More info at Musician's Friend -

Zzounds)

• Sennheiser MD421 (Reviews At Recording Review –More info at Musician's Friend -

Zzounds)

• Cascade Fathead II (Reviews At Recording Review –More info at Musician's Friend -

Zzounds)

• Royer Royer R121 (Reviews At Recording Review –More info at Musician's Friend -

Zzounds)

• Shure SM7b (Reviews At Recording Review –More info at Musician's Friend -

Zzounds)

• Audix I5 (Reviews At Recording Review –More info at Musician's Friend - Zzounds)

Any of these mics will get you there. You can hear them all in action in “The Interrogator

Sessions: Electric Guitar”. There are certainly more options out there, and often times, the

same mic you use on vocals can do excellent things on electric guitar too, but these are the

mics I know work very well. If you can't get the tones you are looking for with any of these

mics, you've got a problem further up the chain.

59

Situation #2

You don't have your tone down. You may or may not already have an amp, but either way

you aren't entirely excited by what comes out of it. Maybe you normally love your amp's tone,

but you are stuck recording at ridiculously low volumes. (It's hard enough to nail the mega

tone when you aren't penalized! Good luck trying it with one arm tied behind your back. It's

not worth the effort in my opinion.)

Recommendation: I recommend taking a look at the guitar emulators.

There are numerous free emulators out there that are pretty damn good. The simple truth is if

you don't have an amp that makes you say “YEEEESSSSS!!”, by the time you run this not-so-

exciting tone through the recording process, it's going to get worse (unless you are just really

good at this whole engineering thing...then it will just stay the same).

In “The Interrogator Sessions: Electric Guitar” I've included some random clips of the

following emulators:

• Waves GTR 3.5

• Amplitube 2

• Vintage Amp Room

• Metal Amp Room

• Overloud TH-1

• Guitar Rig 3

Hi-Z Inputs

It's highly recommended to use a Hi-Z input as this brings out a ton of clarity in the electric

guitar by giving it an impedance load it was designed to work with. Many audio interfaces

have a Hi-Z input. You can purchase the Hi-Z input by itself such as what come with the

Waves GTR 3.5 or you can purchase a standalone preamp that has Hi-Z inputs.

You can hear the difference between Hi-Z inputs and standard inputs in “The Interrogator

Sessions: Electric Guitar”.

60

Make sure you check out the Electric Guitar Emulators thread on RecordingReview.com

Bass Recording Gear

Situation #1

You are a bass player. You've got your tone down. You've got an amp that adds some

serious character to your tone and you'd be lost without that one amp. You have a room that

sounds good.

Recommendation: You need one single mic that is excellent on bass cabinets.

The type of character you want out of your bass cabinet will determine which mic is right for

you. I like upper midrange grind and character. I'm big on the large diaphram dynamic mics.

I like the Shure SM7b and the Sennheiser MD421. A large diaphram condenser can sound a

bit thicker and maybe a hair less defined in the upper mids. The Shure Beta 52 is a fun mic

for both kick drum and bass guitar. I recommend you take a listen to the bass microphone

Interrogation in “The Interrogator Sessions: Bass”.

Situation #2

You are a bass player. You've got your tone down. Your amp is super duper clean and really

just makes the bass louder.

Recommendation: Record the bass DI.

I'd plug the bass directly into my audio interface via either the line input or the Hi-Z input. (On

bass, this line input vs HI-Z input thing is really just a personal preference while on direct

electric guitar I consider it mandatory.) Direct boxes will have their specific (but probably

subtle) impact on the sound. I have a Sansamp that is pretty cool sometimes, but over the

years, I've gotten away from it and moved to just plugging straight in. You can hear an array

of DI's in “The Interrogator Sessions: Bass”.

Situation #3

Maybe you aren't a bass player. Maybe you are. You aren't all that picky about any one

61

specific tone but would like a bit of versatility.

Recommendation #1: Take a listen to the $200 P-bass in “The Interrogator Sessions: Bass”

and see how it sounds compared to big boy American basses (Fender Jazz, Stringray,

Warwick, etc). Record the bass DI. Add a bass emulator plugin.

Because of the price of a bass amp, and more importantly, the difficulty in keeping the room

out of the bass amp in most home recording situations I recommend taking a look at the bass

emulators. They have quite a bit to offer in terms of character.

Make sure to listen to how Ampeg SVX compares to a number of real bass amps and maybe

read my review on it.

Make sure to check out the Bass Emulator thread at RecordingReview.com

Recommendation #2: If you are up for MIDI sequencing, some awesome tones can be had

with a bit of programming. Generally speaking, some mega dude has already done the

engineering for you. Before you buy samples, you always listen so you immediately know if

they are going to be compatible with your specific tastes. Jazz dudes probably aren't going

to buy sludge rock bass, for example. So if you are looking for X bass sound, it's safe to say

there are samples out there that 10,000% nail it.

I often tinker with Quantum Hardcore Bass. You can hear just one quick and dirty example in

my Recording Gear Quiz. If you'd like to hear more, just yell at me and I'll throw something

together. Of course, there examples all over the web.

It can sometime be difficult to get the feel of the “playing” right with samples. There are times

when it's just quicker to put it down with a bass and deal with the engineering. This is

especially true for fast punk stuff where the guitars “push” and are ahead of the drums a bit.

Drum Recording Gear

Situation #1

You are recording a real drummer with a real drum set. You need to figure out how many

62

mics you need. I'm going to stereotype and generalize here. (Kind of like saying black

people can jump high. It's a mostly true stereotype but I'm sure there are at least three black

people who can't dunk a basketball. I bet they are all rappers. (Joke!))

For Ringo Star drums, 2 mics is all you probably need. For John Bonham drums, 2-4 mics is

fun. For most anything else, 8 is about right, but 10-12 is often the most fun. In fancier

cases, a person can get up to the 30s and higher, although, this is only recommend for

people who REALLY know what they are doing. That many mics is the equivalent of juggling

nitroglycerin. You've got to be crazy and accept the fact that you are going to get burned.

Drum Mic Selection

Kick drums

You should really take a listen to the “The Interrogator Sessions: Drums”. My personal

favorites are the Shure Beta 91 and the Audix D6. I like the Shure Beta 52 quite a bit. The

Sennheiser e602 is cool. Many LDCs work really well on the outside of the drum. A

Sennheiser MD421 isn't the beefiest kick drum sound in the world (it's kind of a 1978 kick

drum sound), but it can certainly work.

Snare drums

Again, check out the Interrogations in “The Interrogator Sessions: Drums”.

It's hard to beat a Shure SM57. The Oktava MK219 is a fun mic on snare, but it is going to

catch more bleed than a dynamic and it'll require quite a bit more headroom as it can

overload most preamps with ease. I've seen quite a few people use SDCs with success on

snare but this isn't my bag.

On snare bottom I often just grab an SM57, but I did go through a phase where I used an

AKG 414 in figure 8 about halfway between the kick drum beater and snare to pick up both of

these at the same time, but block out most of everything else (do to the extreme null of the

figure 8 microphone). That was fun.

63

Toms

I've been using Oktava MK012s on toms for years. I'd love to eventually have 3-4 Sennheiser

MD421s for toms for more 2Hz attack. I've not been overly thrilled by many other things I've

tried.

Make sure you check out Favorite Tom Mics on the RecordingReview.com forum.

Overheads

Oh hell! This opens up Pandora's box. I've used everything under the sun. If the room is

awesome, just about anything works. If the room blows, just about everything sucks. So it's

hard for me to make a magic recommendation for overhead microphones. It would be better

if I just sent you here, I think. The World's Biggest Overhead Mic Shootout

Some people really love their SDCs on drum overheads. I can't say this is me. SDCs have a

tendency to get a little hard in the upper mids and this is something I generally try to avoid.

To each his own, however.

Room Mics

When it comes to room mics, I have to say that ribbons are often my first choice because they

avoid the harshness of the cymbals especially with hardcore compression. The Cascade

Fathead II and Royer R121 are both excellent at this. Being figure 8, they make it easy to

use their strong null to avoid the direct sound of the drums.

In certain rooms LDCs can be fun too. This room mic thing is really wide open and depends

heavily on where I'm working, what I'm going for, and what I've got to deal with. It's more of a

fun experiment than anything.

Situation #2

You are recording a real drummer with real drums and you aren't happy with the results.

Recommendation: Read “The Interrogator Sessions: Drums”. That should take care of

most of it. Post a mix in Bash This Recording.

64

If you still aren't happy with what you've got, it may be time to introduce sample layering. The

idea is to use the snare top track, convert it to MIDI, and then send that to a sampler,

triggering some robo sounding snare (or tuba or harpsichord).

To convert a snare track to MIDI I use KtDrumTrigger. It's free. It takes some getting used to,

but it's simple when you get the hang of it. I just got a review copy of Toontrack's

DrumTracker, which I'll be tearing into soon. It looks like it may be a little more elaborate and

may come with it's own samples. Another popular method for this is Drumagog.

Finally, you'll need drum samples for this. Make sure to check out Realistic Drum Samples on

the forum.

Here's an illustration of many of the drum samples I'm using these days.

Situation #3

You've been through #2 and you still aren't happy. Maybe you don't have the room or ability

to tune drums to the level you desire.

Recommendation: Get an electronic drum kit and use MIDI out to trigger incredible

samples.

The morality police are going to condemn me for this one. They'd rather you sound bad than

take some method that happens to give you the quickest path to monstrous results. I say the

music always wins. Kill who you need to in the process.

While edrums can have issues with drummers who do all kinds of weird stuff, for relatively

straight forward drumming electronic drums are incredible. The samples you can trigger with

them are absolutely phenomenal. See #2

Situation #4

You aren't a real drummer, but just need some real sounding drums to go behind your music.

Recommendation: Use the samples listed above and either program your own, use an e-

drum kit, or use MIDI grooves.

A big chunk of the drums for the Interrogations here in Killer Home Recording were done

65

using MIDI grooves through Superior Drummer 2.0. While I'm not a fan of sifting through

MIDI loops, I have to admit that Toontrack's EZ Player certainly makes the process easier.

Programming real sounding drums is a waste of time. Life is too short. Some guys do it

extremely well, but I feel like I'm filling out a tax return when I do it. You may have a higher

tolerance. When it comes to fake drums (techno / hip hop / etc), I have no problem with

programming because I'm not emulating anything.

Situation #5

You don't care about real drums. You are looking for techno drum sounds.

Recommendation: I really like Battery by Native Instruments. It comes with quite a few drum

samples and gives options for many more. Reason is a full-featured sequencer that is

extremely popular, although I've never really gotten into it.

Microphone Selection

A Few Microphone Rules

I will lay out a few “rules” for you that are probably worth 10,000 times what you are thinking

right now.

• If you are just getting started with music recording you will probably be surprised by

how good ANY $100 condenser mic sounds.

• If you aren't going to tear your hair out because your vocal sound isn't BETTER than

John Mayer, Toby Keith, Mariah Carey, or James Hetfield, do not bother spending

more than $200 when first jumping into this whole recording thing. In fact, $100 may be

fine. Your vocals will be a little bright at that price, but you'll live.

• If you are going for ultra-robo pro vocals then you really need to read “The Interrogator

Sessions: Vocals” and “Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering”. We tackle the

concept of the mic collection there. Simply put, few mics sound great on everyone. If

there was one mega mic, everyone would just shell out the bucks for that one mega

mic. It doesn't work that way. If you plan to record more than one source, you'll want to

66

build an entire arsenal and learn how and when to use each piece of that arsenal.

• If you are going for ultra-robo pro vocals, don't expect simply dropping $2k on a mic is

going to make all of your dreams come true. As you'll hear in some of the Killer Home

Recording Interrogations, I'm using $7,000 signal chains and coming out with vocals

that sound okay (without processing), but they are definitely not the kind of thing worth

killing over...and I once killed for a Snickers bar! Some say the magic mics don't really

kick in until $5k. That seems to be directly contradictory of the tune I heard yesterday

that sounded outstanding and used a $70 MXL 990 (A mic I don't usually like.)

• When possible, a variety of possible microphones is always best. Real World Food

For Thought: If your recording style doesn't allow for trying out mic after mic after mic

before recording a new vocalist, there isn't any real point in having all these mics.

• The bang for the buck threshold seems to be pushed continually. Asking around on

forums for mega bang-for-the-buck mic companies is going to give you some exciting

options. There always seems to be new companies who may not be as famous as

their bigger counterparts but make outstanding products at prices that were unheard of

a few years ago.

What Big $$$ Gets You

This will be fun. My only goal here is to illustrate what you gain from paying way more for a

microphone. I'm big on the idea that the price of a piece of gear is only a factor when you buy

it. In the heat of battle, no one bothers thinking about price. The sound is all that matters.

However, since we are giving advice as what you should buy, let's think only in terms of

dollars and sound.

Download

Take a listen to this.

Note: Prices were obtained from Google Shopping Results

Answers

67

Lead vocals - 001 $299.00 vs 002 $1,200.00

Lead vocals - 003 $2,679.00 vs 004 $149.00

Electric Guitar - 005 $99.99 vs 006 $1,295.00

Fair Warning

In each clip, each mic was placed in the same spot and therefor they probably would have

sounded better if we would have ideally selected the “right” position for each mic. No EQ was

used.

My Views

I wonder why I shell out so much cash for some of these microphones! When a mic is a little

too this or too that, I have processors around to address that at least to a certain degree. In

an ideal world, I wouldn't need to rely on processing in any way, but in an ideal world, zebras

wouldn't be mangled by lions. Maybe using 2dB of plugin EQ to make X cheap electric guitar

mic sound a hair more like my Y expensive electric guitar mic is worth the benefit of not

having to explain to little Timmy why all the other kids get to go to the dentist and he doesn't.

Note: I'm not necessarily recommending processing over mic selection, mic placement, etc.

I'm simply stating that even when everything goes right, most musical styles and tones

require some processing in one way or another to meet the creative demands of the band or

producer.

I'm mixing a record right now. I did all vocal with a Peluso 47 ($1,200 give or take) through a

Martech MSS-10 preamp ($1,900+) > Distress EL-8x > Mytek AD96. On some of the tracks

the vocals are perfect. On some of the songs, I've had to fight and fight and fight to get them

where they needed to be. I did all kinds of stupid processing from using lots of EQ, de-

essing, multiple compressors, and blending in distorted high pass filtered tracks slightly. A

part of me really wonders if it would have been any different if I would have just used an

SM57. My point is that expensive gear hasn't been life altering. Sometimes I say, “Yes!”

Sometimes I say, “That's it?” Sometimes I wonder what disaster occurred that causes such

exponentially different sounds with identical gear.

68

How much should I spend on my first mics?

If your budget is tight, don't feel bad. There are some tremendous microphones out there that

perform dramatically better than you might expect. I'm still chasing that magic vocal sound

and even with mics as expensive as $3k, I've not gotten where I'm ultimately going.

Generally speaking, there are often sonic characteristics that can only be obtained by shelling

out the green stuff. I've not heard a budget mic that had the enormous low end of my Peluso

47 or Soundelux U99, for example. While this one particular sonic trait has advantages when

recording specific instruments, it's seldom a life or death thing.

If a person had a billion bucks, I'd recommend skipping the brand new car and pick up a

vintage Neumann U47 and Telefunken 251. If a person had $200 bucks, I'm confident that

there is a mic out there that will perform well in that price range. I hesitate to sensationalize

any one link in the chain until I know what other links we are dealing with. Since you are

brand new, it's safe to say that you don't have the experience of a Grammy Award winning

mixing engineer. Don't take that as an insult. Enjoy how liberating it is to say, “Of all the

problems I have, my mixing skills are the weakest link. I think I'll put my wallet back in my

pocket!”. In that light, you've immediately freed yourself from any potential stress in selecting

a microphone. I'm confident that a beginning mixer is a greater hindrance to the quality of the

recording than the price of the mic used.

If I had to answer the question on this topic, I'd say you should spend exactly what you want

to spend. A person willing to invest $500 in a mic will get a $500 mic. A person willing to

invest $100 will get a $100 mic.

I highly recommend you listen to the vocal mic Interrogations in “Killer Home Recording:

Vocals.” We've got four voices and enough mics to give you some perspective.

Mics I ve Used And I Recommend Checking Out'

Dynamic Mics

Shure SM57

Reviews – More Info At Musician's Friend - Zzounds

69

Cheap, versatile, and hard to break. They work well on a number of sources. Some people

love them. Some people hate them. I couldn't imagine life without them. Extremely popular

on electric guitar and snare drum. They can get bitey if you aren't careful, but are often under

rated on certain vocals.

Shure SM7bReviews – More Info At Musician's Friend - Zzounds

A super versatile microphone. It does very very well on many vocals, electric

guitar, bass, cutting acoustic guitar, and kick drum (needs a low shelf boost

though). An excellent mic to have around. It doesn't do the condenser sound

or the ribbon sound, but does pretty much everything else well.

Sennheiser MD421

Reviews – More Info At Musician's Friend - Zzounds

A fun dynamic mic that can get a little nasty in the 2k region and somehow

sound good doing it. I don't care for it on vocals much, but on electric guitar, it

can be mean as hell. It does the 1978 thuddy kick drum sound well and it's

about as good as it gets on toms. It's a good mic to have around. I don't consider it as

flexible as the SM7b, but I do like it.

Large Diaphram Condensers

AT4050

Reviews – More Info At Musician's Friend - Zzounds

You can find these for $300 used all the time. The shockmount sucks. The

sound is usually very, very good. It's doesn't have a super thick low end like

the more expensive condensers, but for a home recording situation, this thing is often

excellent. It can be a hair bright sometimes, but not nearly as bad as many of the $100

70

condensers out there. I read a while back that this was used on all the solo Richie Sambora

records after Bon Jovi had more money than since. My point? This mic can deliver pro

results.

AKG 414

Musician's Friend - Zzounds

You can find these for $500 used quite often. They are much thicker than many

mics out there in the under $1k category. I love them on acoustic guitar and

certain vocals. On vocals that really need to cut through a mix, I'm not super huge on the

AKG 414 unless I'm willing to go to war via EQ or the mix is sparse. When I need “smooth”

vocals (whatever that means) the AKG 414 is usually my first choice.

Karma K35

Website - Reviews

A hell of a bargain. This thing is heavy and needs a strong mic stand, but it

sounded good on everything I tossed on it. It wasn't excessively bright

compared to others in the same price range. You'll need an external pad for this one on loud

sources. If you are on a budget, this is definitely a mic I'd take a look at.

Cascade Elroy

Website - Reviews

This mic can get a bit sibilant in a hurry, but sometimes there is something about

this mic that I really like. There is some exciting stuff in there. People who

really get their panties in a wad about “clarity” will love this thing in omni. It's a

tube mic, so I don't recommend it as a starter mic.

71

Peluso 251

Reviews – Website

I love the Peluso 251. I don't know how it compares to the $9k Telefunken

version, and until my bank-robbing career takes off, I probably will never know.

It's not cheap, but at $1,200 (used) it performs extremely well. I have certain

singers who insist on this mic (always a good sign!). I haven't heard a voice I didn't like in

front of it. It's done great on just about everything I've ever used it on. If you want to pay

extra, I think there is some value in this one. How much value? Hell I don't know. I just like it,

okay. Give it a listen in all the Interrogations in Killer Home Recording.

Peluso 47

Reviews – Website

On a good day, I love the 47. It's a bit darker in the ultra high end than the 251

but has a bigger, lower midrange. It's a big sounding microphone. This is

another expensive mic. If you are a beginner on a budget, ignore this one.

The Oktavamod MJE-K47H "Solo"

Website

I haven't used this one yet, so I'm not making a glowing recommendation

YET. However, based on what I've heard in audio clips, buzz, etc this thing

is going to officially break the price / performance barrier. The MJE-K47H

is just the to capsule which is the bottom part in this picture. You have a to

screw this capsule to a specific SDC body. You can see the details on their website.

72

Small Diaphram Condensers

Karma K10

Reviews – Website

Super bargain SDCs. $140 for a pair of mics that can run with big boy mics

is unheard of! These have an aggressive upper midrange. Sometimes this

isn't a great thing. Sometimes a bit more smoothness is required. At this price, who cares!

Sometimes this aggression is exactly what you want. Very useful on drum overheads (with

an external pad), acoustic guitar, and percussion. You'd be surprised how they do on a bass

cabinet or an electric guitar cabinet. (See the Killer Home Recording Shootouts for those.)

Oktava MK012

I love them on toms. I don't get as wound up about them on drum overheads or

acoustic guitar as many people do. They used to be $100 a piece, but I hear

they've gone way up and are harder to find.

Ribbons

Royer R121

Reviews - Website

I have it. I love it. It's expensive. It's my favorite electric guitar mic, and it's

excellent as a room mic on drums and anything you'd reach for a ribbon for.

The hype on this this is substantiated. Does it work miracles? No. Does it make engineering

easier? Yes.

Cascade Fathead IIReviews – Website

It's just as good as the Royer, but voiced a bit different. I like it 96% as much as I

73

like the Royer on electric guitar. With a touch of EQ, it's about the same. It costs about 1/6th

the price. It can get a little 2k heavy if I'm not careful. It did something “neat” on acoustic

guitars...kind of a 1950s acoustic guitar sound. On drum overheads, it does something

awesome if you don't need any real top end in the cymbals (fairly rare for me). As a room

mic, it's awesome.

Karma K6

Reviews – Website

Similar to the Fathead II, but not nearly as aggressive in the 2k region. It can

almost be too smooth sometimes, but some of you may like that. I tend to like

aggressive sounds more than the next guy. You'll need a pad with this one if you are using it

on anything loud.

Conclusion

There are many, many mics out there. I've only used a tiny portion. My use is entirely

subjective. If you want objectivity take a geometry class. You won't find it in this

craft....EVER. Recommending a mic is much like recommending a girlfriend. I can give you

advice on the girls I've dated. I can tell you what I like (and what I hate) about the girl I

decided to keep. I can give you advice on how to deal with your girl after the fact, but I can't

really say anything about girls that I've not gone out with. It's the same with mics.

I've used many more mics than appeared on this list. You won't see me un-recommend a

mic. I simply wanted to show the mics I do recommend.

There are plenty of mics on this list that are excellent, but I didn't see much reason to list 40

mics that all do very similar things. So don't send me any death threats because I didn't

include X mic. This was just a quick recommendations list. There may be better mics for less

money out there.

74

One Mic Guys

For those of you prescribe to the epic disaster known as monogamy, let's talk about your

specific mic needs. Because you are going to be with this one mic all the time, it's important

that you can stand her (for this discussion, the mic is a girl) pretty much all of the time. The

only way for that to work if the situation changes often is by going with a fairly neutral mic.

A mic that has a bit too much personality this way or too much personality that way is going to

cause you problems.

Note: I want to emphasize that we are discussing a situation that changes often. If you know

the only voice you are going to be recording is Johnny Cash (good luck with that one these

days), then you can find that one special mic for the job.

The problem with relatively neutral mics is that they don't have a whole lot of character. I

come from the school that I want to flatter each and every instrument in a way that makes the

instrument most exciting on the recording at hand. Simply tossing up a neutral mic is not

always the easiest way to achieve my sonic vision.

Then again, the difference between most mics is subtler than it should be, so maybe I'm

blowing this concept out of proportion, particularly if you aren't going to go into depression if

you don't win an Engineering Grammy. The real fun and color comes from certain preamps,

compressors, distortion gadgets, EQ, and the all the other mixing tools.

Audio Technica AT4040

Reviews – Musician's Friend - Zzounds

If I had to pick one relatively inexpensive mic that works well on practically

everything, I'd take a hard look at the Audio Technica AT4040. Again, it's not

the most flattering mic in the world, but that's exactly what makes it so versatile.

Make sure you check out this thread: Neutral / Workhorse Microphones

75

Mic Stands

Avoid The Cheapos

If you plan on recording for a while, invest in some decent mic stands. I don't mean anything

you can do a pull up on. That's overkill! I just mean something name brand. Atlas and K&M

make good stuff, but just about any “real” company will work. There are often micro budget

mic stands on Ebay or in flea markets near lakes (don't ask!). Refrain from buying them

unless it feels like they were created during the industrial revolution.

People have often asked me, “What in the world do you have to do to a mic stand to break

it?” They obviously have never had cheapo mic stands. I've seen the bases fall off the

bottoms. I've seen the base break from the rest of the stand. I've seen stands break in every

place they can be tightened. Murphy's Law certainly applies in this case.

Stackable Mic Stands

If you are ever going to take your stands to a live show, make sure to get the stackable

stands that have a round base that resemble a distant cousin to Pacman. Not only are

stackable mic stands extremely convenient when traveling, but they also use dramatically

less real estate in your studio. That real estate could be used by bass traps or groupies.

Tripod Mic Stands

I do like having a few mic stands with a tripod base. When it comes to micing a drum kit,

there are some situations where only a round base will fit. There are situations where only a

tripod will work. Having both is the only way to go.

$200 Mic Stand

I have several $200 mic stands. Luckily, they cost me less than $50. How? I bought a

76

standard mic stand with a round base and a boom for $45 and then added an old 10lb weight

from an old weight lifting exercise package to the bottom (take the base off, run the mic stand

through the weight, and then screw it back into the base). After years of trying, I've never

knocked over a $200 mic stand. They are a gift from God when using heavy mics like the

Shure SM7b or many large diaphragm condensers.

Make sure not to go heavier than 10lbs. I used a 15lb weight for a while and I ended up

pulling the stand right off the base. 10lbs seems to work well, but I bet a person could come

out with a $175 mic stand with a 5lb weight.

Short Mic Stands

Always have at least one or two shorter mic stands. While you can usually make a standard

boom stand work on most instruments, if you just happen to need to put a mic inside a kick

drum, these are required. There are certainly guitar mic placements that are tough to pull off

with a standard mic stand particularly with side-addressed microphones. Mic placement is

too important to compromise.

Speaker Stands

When you’re in the audiophile world, you see all these $249+ speaker stands. For the life of

me, I can't figure out why a person would need fancy speaker stands. In 99% of the studios

out there, the speakers are behind a desk of some kind (whether that be Neve console or just

a computer desk). So, in most cases the aesthetic argument is moot.

I always recommend buying 8 cinder blocks. They cost $1.42 each as of this writing. That

comes out to $11.36. Some say they look ugly. a) I think they are the coolest looking things

ever. b) Are you telling me that you have creativity to write a song, but you can't figure out

how to use $4 worth of fabric, $4 worth of wood, and 10 minutes to pretty them up into

something to the caliber that would be on the cover of Mix Magazine? It should be super

easy. Make it fun!

It's important to have something rigid with mass for your studio monitors. Obviously, a big

77

part of this is just so the monitors don't fall over. My monitors weight a good 50lbs. A not so

obvious factor is the way the speaker vibrating the stand can have an effect on the frequency

response of that speaker. I believe that my cinder block method is a relatively crude way of

dealing with this vibration, but it's also pretty damn massive. (170 pounds per stand). It's

hard to refute sheer physics sometimes even if there are more elegant designs.

Headphone Amps

For those of you recording live bands, recording more than one musician at the same time, or

who would like to offer everyone in the room a chance to listen via headphones, a multi-

channel headphone amp is a must.

I went with a cheapo Behringer headphone amp back in 2001, and it is still growing strong in

2009. I don't feel that a high-end headphone amp provides any benefit. Take a look at this

headphone amp. They also make an 8-channel version if that better suits your needs.

Headphones

When it comes to all-purpose headphones there are many options. Some guys spend the

bucks to get really nice headphones. I personally haven't found a need for this. While I do

have my studio monitor headphones for mixing, I don't use them during tracking unless I'm

checking a sound. (They aren't cheap and musicians are bigger versions of dumb kids that

break things.) I've had excellent luck with Behringer headphones I bought for $25. Do they

sound good? They sound about like any other $25 set of headphones. The thing I liked

about the Behringer headphones was their ¼ connector. Most headphones in this price

range have an 1/8” jack with an adapter. This is the biggest waste of time ever. These

connections go bad more than you go to the bathroom. I refuse to use one in my studio. I'd

gladly pay double for a set of headphones just to avoid that damn adapter.

78

Acoustic Treatment

As we explain in great detail in “Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering,” acoustic

treatment is the name of the game. A great sounding live room and an accurate room for

studio monitoring is absolutely essential. There is no way around it. You can fiddle fart all day with your fancy gadgets that are more fun to talk about on forums, but that stuff is practically useless without killer sounding rooms. (In regard to “fiddle fart”...Back off,

buster! That was my grandpa's saying, and he had a Purple Heart fighting the Nazis. ROAR!)

Avoid The Foam

There are some famous brands that have very nice logos and present themselves as real

companies. Deep down, all their tech guys know they are selling products that do not work.

Let me rephrase that. Foam will absorb some frequencies. It just so happens to be that

those frequencies could be absorbed by a stupid blanket. Even if a person had at least some

interest in aesthetics (I don't), then with a little creativity, the blanket method is still superior.

If you are considering the purchase of acoustic treatment for your room, I'd check out

Realtraps and Gik. These companies make real products that will actually improve the sound

of your rooms. They also have logos and appear to be professional companies, too. I guess

it's a nice bonus that they sell an authentic product. Yes, I hate studio foam.

Bass Traps, Bass Traps, Bass Traps

If you have any intention of putting together a room that is anywhere near accurate for studio

monitoring, you'll want to go nuts on the bass trapping. We cover this in “Killer Home

Recording: Audio Engineering,” so I just want to mention it here. Just remember to save

room in your budget or consider building your own. (If you build your own, make sure to

submit your plans on the Acoustics and Studio Construction forum first.) It's very easy to

screw up a bass trap design, and if you've got the budget, buying them is often a better way

to go.

79

Financing The Unknown

If you'd like to spend money on a product you know nothing about, I recommend sending me

$50 for what my Invisible Machine does. Actually, you can't see, taste, hear, smell, or touch it.

You'd have just as much luck with my Invisible Machine as you would with purchasing

acoustic treatment, if you have no understanding of what is going on in your room. I

recommend you don't spend a dime on acoustic treatment until you've conquered the “Control

Room Acoustics” chapter in “Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering.” (Fair warned! You

will not like it!) You'll thank me later.

After you understand the basics of room treatment, then be prepared to dump some real cash

into it.

Studio Monitors

We cover this in robo detail in “Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering.” The short version

goes like this. If your room isn't ideal, and you don't have extreme room treatments, no studio

monitoring system is going to be all that accurate. With that said, mixing on studio monitors is

generally more pleasing than mixing on headphones, and it’s certainly more likely to deliver

better results than using your home stereo.

For a person who doesn't want to shell out a good $2-3k on acoustic treatments, there is

limited reason to purchase studio monitors that cost $1k+. I'd recommend going with studio

monitors in the $500-1,000 range. If that's too expensive for you, just use a stereo system

from around the house until you are ready to upgrade. I highly recommend you check out

Budget Studio Monitors: Do They Work?

Regardless of your budget or situation, I recommend that everyone snag a set of studio

monitor headphones . Getting this level of accuracy with studio monitors and room treatment

would cost thousands, but you can hop into the world of accurate studio monitoring for under

$150 even if you just happen to be stuck in headphone land, too.

The beauty of the studio monitor headphones is they give you an accurate playback system

80

for a price that most of us pay for shipping studio monitors. I find that even if a person hates

mixing on headphones, they make a great 2nd system to check your mixes on. I expect to be

using mine even when I have a super mega room and robo high end monitors.

When I make my usual rounds through Bash This Recording, I find myself repeating the same

old cliché. It seems that every beginner is making mistakes that have nothing to do with their

abilities, necessarily, but due to inaccurate monitoring. Big problems have a way of sneaking

through poor monitoring conditions, but mixing (or at least listening a time or two) through

studio monitor headphones can be a lifesaver.

MIDI Production Gear

81

MIDI Controller Selection

We get into the greater details of MIDI in “Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering,” but it

basically goes like this. MIDI has got to get into your recording rig one way or another. One

way is with the conventional MIDI port. The other is USB. Since USB is pretty much the

standard on every PC in the universe, it's a safe bet to go this route. However, if you have an

old keyboard collecting dust with a MIDI out port you may be in luck. Just make sure your

audio interface has a MIDI input. You can always buy a MIDI interface separately, but

bundling with the audio interface will probably save you a couple of bucks.

For your meat and potatoes MIDI work for non-piano players, just about any old keyboard

with MIDI out will work. I'm still using an old Roland XP-10, and I'm entirely satisfied. (Real

keyboard people laugh when they see it.) Others may want a certain weight and feel, but I'm

not a piano player. Some MIDI controllers allow you to control all sorts of functions. I've

never felt the need for this but, again, your needs may be different than mine.

Misc Virtual Instruments

In the old days of MIDI production, you ran out and bought a high-end keyboard and used its

onboard sequencer to make your productions. Those sound like crap for just about

everything unless you have something really special like (sing along Human League fans)

“Don't you want me baby?” Realistic certainly wasn't an option.

Nowadays, none of us are using synths to mimic real instruments. Instead, we are using

samples.

In the old days you needed a hardware sampler. These set you back about half the price of a

new Kia back then. They were the centralized player of all your samples. I'm calling them

The Mothership, because I'm that nerdy. The hardware Mothership was replaced by the

software Mothership. (Kontakt is my weapon of choice for that).

There's a problem. All the Childships grew up. (Why does Mothership sound bad ass &

Childship sound ridiculous?) Instead of buying a cd of Color Me Badd edition drum samples,

82

drum samples took on a whole new life. They grew to be real sounding. In fact, they are

scarily real sounding. They can do all kinds of wicked things. You can control how much

bleed of the snare gets into the hihat or kick drum. You can send only the snare drum to the

room mics. (Not a reverb!) The days of bleed in the toms are over if you want them to be. It

wasn't possible for the Mothership sampler to do all this. So some nerds on the Childships

got creative and changed the sample world. It was no longer essential to use the Mothership

sampler at all. Each sample package now had its own independent player.

Then other instruments followed suit. I have individual Childships for every sample package

I've ever purchased except one. Quantum XP Hardcore Bass, Native Instruments B4 Organ,

Native Instruments Electrik Piano, Superior Drummer 2.0, and all the others I can't think of,

all came with their own players. There is no need for the Mothership samplers for any of

these.

I'm hesitant to recommend buying the Mothership sampler software because of this.

However, there is one thing I do like about having Kontakt. I have access to all kinds of

random samples that come in handy. For example, I'm not a harmonica guy. I'll never buy a

comprehensive sample set of harmonica. However, I have found a need for it in my ridiculous

productions from time to time. It's nice being able to fire up the stock harmonica samples in

Kontakt. These samples are not nearly as elaborate or comprehensive as those found in a

dedicated sampler set, but they fit my needs.

I'm not sure what it's worth to you to have a nice collection of simplified samples to toy with. I

guess it depends on how badly you have need to toss in random instruments.

An Overemphasis On High End Gear-

We all know that losing weight is as simple as burning more calories than you take in. Yet, we

all want some kind of short cut. Fat burner pills and such is a zillion dollar industry. I guess

it's human nature to look for some kind of shortcut that allows us to outsmart the system and

bypass the simple solution. I consider recording to be similar. A great band playing in a great

sounding acoustical space in a situation where an engineer can make decisions that translate

83

to the outside world (accurate studio monitoring) is the exact formula that was used to make

your favorite recordings. The other stuff makes up minor details. The other stuff is the cherry

on top.

While you could say that engineering is a game of inches, and a great engineer should be

aware of each and every detail, what do we say about the engineer who obsesses about the

tiniest details and completely ignores the most important hit-you-in-head-with-sledgehammer

criteria? I'd call this engineer nuts! Sure, the big boys like their fancy consoles, preamps,

and compressors, but do you think they'd be caught dead recording a band that couldn't play

or a vocalist who couldn't sing?

It's complete insanity to put high-end preamps and robo-priced analog to digital converters

over accurate studio monitoring, room acoustics, songwriting, and musicianship. You might

be shaking your head saying to yourself “Yeah right! The big boys put such an emphasis on

the gear. There must be something to it!” There is something to it. The big boys have

conquered all the prerequisites and now play around with their toys, because they can.

They've earned the right to nitpick about the small, fun stuff. More power to them! However,

if you think that any big boy is going to put a greater emphasis on gear than they would the

accuracy of their studio monitoring system or the quality of the music/musicians they are

recording, you have either been intentionally mislead or you are asking the wrong questions.

Go on the usual recording forum and say “Brandon Drury says in his book that a person

should focus on putting together an extremely accurate studio monitoring system that

translates well to the outside world before spending money on high end outboard gear such

as preamps and AD converters.” I'd like to see how many big boys argue with this. If anyone

does, ask to hear mixes from them as they are probably not a big boy. They are probably full

of that stuff my grandpa always said I had between my ears. I'm aware of no engineer worth

his salt that undermines the importance of accurate studio monitoring and the power of

“great” music.

84

Q Do I Need A Mixer For Home Recording?:

A: It's very common for beginners who have just jumped into the world of home recording to

automatically assume that they need a console or mixer. I can see this as rational. I don't

know much about guns, so I figure I need a gun and some bullets to shoot. Of course, I'm

just basing this of layman understanding, watching movies, and guessing.

It turns out that I very rarely recommend a mixer for home recording anymore. In fact, never

may be a better description. To understand this, we first need to understand how old school

tape machines worked. It goes like this. Let's say we want to record on channels 1-10 on an

analog tape machine. We plug our kick drum microphone into our mixer on Channel #1. We

bump up the gain with the preamp, and then that kick drum is routed to track #1 on the tape.

After we have recorded that kick drum, we rewind the tape and hit play.

That kick drum is then routed to the outputs of the tape machine. These outputs are actually

sent to the Tape output side of the console. In this case, we'll say that we run kick drum from

Track #1 out to channel #25 on the console. From here we can play with the signal after it's

already been recorded to tape if we really want to. This is something we may do more

aggressively during mixing where we may be adding compression, EQ, or sending the track

to reverbs, delays, distortions, and who knows what. For the time being, however, these tape

outputs are only there so we can hear what is going on through the studio monitors. This

routing is repeated with the snare mic routed to channel #2 on the console to track #2 on the

tape to channel #26 on the console. This repeats for as many tracks as we want to record.

So what we really have is a chain that works like this when tracking:

Mic > Mic preamp > Recording Device

When it comes to playing the track back, the chain goes like this:

Recording Device Output > Mixing Console Channel #25 > Stereo Out Of Console >

Studio Monitors/Headphones/Whatever

Now let's talk about how we record tracks with a computer system.

We run a mic to the kick drum, just like before. We then run that microphone to a preamp.

This preamp could be in a console, but let's forget the console for right now and go straight to

85

the built in preamp in our audio interface. This is channel #1 on the audio interface.

Behind the scenes, the preamp is routed to the AD converter in our audio interface, which

converts the signal from analog to digital, and then shoots the signal into our computer. In

our recording software, we create track #1, make sure it's a mono track because we are only

recording one mono microphone, and then we make sure the signal from input #1 in the audio

interface is routed to our newly created track.

From that newly created track, the signal is passed down to our console. However, in this

case we are not using that giant console that looks like something inside a 747 jet’s cockpit.

Instead we are using the console within our recording software. As each kick drum hit is

captured, we can see the meter bouncing up in Channel #1. This channel then flows into the

stereo master fader and to the audio interface. The audio interface converts the signal from

digital to analog and sends this analog signal out of the audio interface into the studio

monitors.

The routing to capture the kick drum track looks like this:

Mic > Mic preamp > Recording Device (which is the audio interface routed to the

recording software).

When it comes to playing the track back, the chain goes like this:

Recording Device > Mixing Console In Recording Software > Stereo Out Of Software

Mixer > Audio Interface > Studio Monitors/Headphones/Whatever

It's extremely important that you understand these two concepts.

A) In both the analog tape situation and in the computer situation, the mic is plugged into a

mic preamp, boosted, and then sent to the recording medium. The concept is exactly the

same. Instead of scratching audio into a magnetic tape, the audio is converted to digital and

stored as ones and zeros. A fancy console is certainly not required on the input side in either

situation.

B) In both the analog tape situation and the computer situation, a mixer/console of some type

is required to mix the music. You'll want EQ, compression, etc. You'll want to send the signal

via aux sends to reverbs, delays, and other effects. In an analog situation, you will need a

real, hardware mixer for this. For every reverb you use, you must have a hardware box that

86

you can route this signal to. For every delay you use, you must have a delay box sitting

around.

However, when it comes to computer recording, all of this mixing is handled “in the box.”

Instead of buying a box for reverb and a box for delay, you simply fire up a plugin. The

concept is the same, but it is all handled in the computer. The entire signal flows into the

stereo master bus and is then routed to your studio monitors in either case.

With the computer recording method, all mixing is done within the computer, and you can

forgo the analog console and all rack devices because your recording software replaces all of

this. The only hardware device you still require is the kick drum, mic, and preamp.

Long story short: The computer with an appropriately equipped audio interface has entirely

replaced the need for a mixer. In fact, in most home recording situations software is

dramatically better than a mixer.

Headphone Mixes

When I got into home recording back in 2001, there really wasn't a good way to rig up

headphone mixes on the computer. So, I went ahead and purchased a Mackie 1604 mixer

for $1,000. I would send the mic I was recording to channel #1 on the Mackie, boost the

signal with the preamp/trim knob, and then immediately send that signal to my audio interface

(which was from back in the days where audio interfaces did not include preamps). Using the

mixer I could then use the aux sends to create up to 4 individual headphone mixes for

individual members of the band. This was one solution, but I have to admit that $1,000 is a

lot of money to pay for headphone mixes considering the fact that many modern audio

interfaces include a DSP mixer especially designed for this. (My current audio interface

allows me to give up to 9 individual stereo mixes!) So the audio interface and computer have

made the analog mixer obsolete for home recording in my opinion in almost all situations.

The Big Boys And Analog Consoles

There are still some die-hard fans of the analog way of working. At first, I could see their

point. The original EQs, compressors, reverbs and other plugins simply didn't sound that

good on computers. Today, this has changed. Computers have some great sounding plugins

87

for a fraction of the price of the hardware stuff of yesterday. Some hardcore, big boy purists

still prefer to use their $300,000 console and $4,000 compressors on vocals while mixing the

big boy platinum records at a fee of $4,000 per song. Well, this level of recording I can't even

relate to. $50k to mix an album? That's complete insanity based on the budgets I'm used to

dealing with! It's no wonder these big boys are buying expensive gear. They have more

money than they know what to do with!

Note: If you pay attention, you hear about more and more big boy engineers making platinum

records while mixing in the box.

A person that makes that kind of cash to mix a record can use whatever gear he/she wants

and does not have to worry about the price/performance factor. They can simply use “the

best” and go on with their day. For the rest of us, we don't have a $2,000,000 facility. If I can

get 98% of the way there for 1% of the price, I'm very happy! When my lottery check comes

in, I'll have to re-evaluate.

For just about every beginner, there is no need for a mixer. Buy an audio interface with built

in preamps and mix “in the box” within your recording software. Use DSP headphone mixes

from the soundcard if you require a bunch of fancy headphone mixes.

Hardcore Hardware Synth Dudes

There is one exception to this no-mixer rule. The dudes who insist on using quite a few

hardware synthesizers when working on their MIDI sequencing projects often require an

analog mixer to plug all of these synths into. It is possible if you are using high end software

and have an audio interface with tons of inputs to create specific, external busses that will

automatically route the audio out of your hardware synths and samples to an audio track in

your recording software, but it never fails that the people on the forum who want to use 10

different hardware synths in their MIDI productions always seem to have a two channel audio

interface. This does not make using external synths practical.

If you are using virtual instruments (synths and samples in the box) you'll have no need for a

mixer.

88

Q Do I Need A Pop Filter?:

Don't even think about this one. Buy one! If you are on a robo tiny budget, go mow a lawn or

two, and then go buy one. Or, just build one for four dollars.

Pop filters are great for reducing the plosives that have a way of getting into your vocal tracks,

but I don't consider this to be their #1 function. Instead, I use pop filters to keep singers the

right distance away from the microphone. Singers that stand too close to directional

microphones can sound boomy because of the proximity effect. Let's just say I like the sound

of the singer standing 10” away from the mic. The solution: I move the pop filter to be about

9” from the mic and the singer plants their face right on the pop filter. Everyone wins!

Of course, not everyone needs to stand 10” from a mic. With my Shure SM7, people have a

tendency to put their lips right on the tip of the mic. It's kinda sorta designed for that, but I

usually don't want that sound in the recordings I'm doing. Placing a pop filter just 1” of the

mic is enough to dramatically reduce the proximity effect and get the sound I want. We'll get

into distance in the vocal recording section, but let's just say that this is a very big deal and

should not be overlooked. That, and life is too short to waste it removing P's from vocal

tracks!

Not All Pop Filters Are Created Equal

I started with the standard $25 nylon circle pop filter. Somewhere along the line, I was

convinced I needed one of the new metal, $40 pop filters that are supposed to sound clearer

came out. It's a total sham in my opinion! Don't spring for the $40 pop filter. The $25 model

is fine.

Q Do I Need Expensive High End Analog To Digital:

Converters?

Any audio interface with analog inputs already contains analog to digital converters. So this

question is really about whether it's worth upgrading the converters. I don't know your

89

financial situation, but I can tell you my experience with analog to digital converters. I

dumped about $2500 on upgrading from stock M-Audio Delta 1010 converters to (2) Mytek

AD96s and a Mytek DA96. The Myteks are on the high-end side of the market. I received a

discount for buying multiple individual products at once, but normally, a set of stereo inputs is

around the $1k mark I believe. Again, this is not for the preamps and not for the audio

interface. We are speaking specifically in terms of the analog to digital conversion.

There was a difference in sound quality. However, it wasn't the kind of upgrade I was hoping

for at $2500. It wasn't like my drummers, bass players, guitar players, and singers said,

“Man, I've never sounded better!” after the upgrade. In fact, no one has ever noticed the

switch. If I A/B a source, I can hear a difference, but I have to make that funny face with eye

brows (like Larry David from Curb Your Enthusiasm) as if I'm thinking really hard before I

choose the Mytek.

You'll read later on in the Killer Home Recording system about “The Ineffectiveness of

Upgrades,” where I sum up the notion that upgrades in audio recording seldom have the

benefit that home recorders expect when paying 2x or 10x as much for a product. I consider

upgrading analog to digital converters to fall into the “When You Get Bored” category. They

also fall into the “When You Get Rich” category.

No beginner should ever purchase high-end converters, ever! Stick with what you've got and

save your money for the things that really matter. Don't let anyone convince you that you'll be

stuck making terrible recordings until you get the high-end converters. After you've got your

important stuff worked out, then you can start playing around with boutique gear like high-end

converters.

For audio examples of converters in action check out Interrogations in the various other Killer

Home Recording products .

Q Do I Need Expensive High End Preamps?:

I think this question is highly dependent on how you define “expensive.” Personally, I find

$2,000 for a volume knob to be very expensive. When I plug a mic into this god-like preamp,

90

everyone in the room should turn and look at me as if I am the ultimate recording genius of

the world. This often happens when you switch from a mail-order guitar amp to a real-deal

mega guitar amp!

Unfortunately, if I was rich, and $2k wasn't all that much money, I probably wouldn't expect all

that much from a $2k preamp. It all comes down to how many meals you have to skip to get

that $2k. The rich people seem to have the correct expectations.

High-end preamps have their place, but if we strip off the psychological impact of knowing

you are using a gold plated volume knob, it is difficult to hear a difference in objective quality

between many preamps. This is especially true for beginners looking for that objective

improvement in fidelity and not simply a change in character. Even when I conducted the

preamp Interrogations, I had to listen over and over and over until my brain began to focus on

the ultra-minute differences between one track and another. It's often very subtle and it's not

the kind of thing that makes band buddies of mine come over and say “Brandon, you have

GOT to hear these drums!!”.

I think that spending big cash on preamps is something that should be done after a person

has quite a few mixes and quite a bit of experience under their belt. I never recommend a

high-end preamp in the first year of recording. Never!

No beginner is going to get any tonal benefit out of a super high-end preamp until the big

issues like accurate studio monitoring have been dealt with. The benefits from the high-end

preamps are way too tiny for this. It's ridiculous to put such a huge investment into one tiny

link of the chain unless the other links of the chain are of similar quality. If you are recording

drummers who have drawings on their drumheads from two years ago, the notion of high-end

pres being an issue becomes silly. In fact, if you’re recording a drummer who didn't go to

Berklee, the notion of preamps might still be silly.

There are people who believe the mic preamp is extremely important and even more

important than studio monitoring. I couldn't possibly disagree with these people more. I'm

willing to call them mentally retarded or at least deaf. In fact, I find that the objective

improvements in sound quality that are often implied in big boy recording circles when

upgrading to a fancier preamp is dramatically overstated 90% of the time and just overstated

the other 10% of the time. If you listen hard enough, you'll hear differences, but it takes an

91

incredible set of ears to say that one preamp simply smokes another preamp.

As much as I like to run my mouth about this and that, I'll let you decide for yourself. Check

out some of the various preamp Interrogations in other Killer Home Recording Books.

I want to make it clear that I started out with a Vintech 1272 from day one. I was led to

believe that this preamp was required for me to get the kind of sounds I wanted. I've

recorded literally thousands of bad sounding tracks through it. There is no magic in a high-

end preamps that can turn bad sounding sources into magic. It simply doesn't happen. The

“magic” comes from actually being able to hear what you are doing and having the knowledge

to know the most effective way for dealing with issues that pop up.

Q Will A Tube Preamp Smoke My Stock Audio:

Interface Preamp?

This is a loaded question. It's about as loaded as questions like “Which is better? A Les Paul

or a Strat?” The short answer is this. The stock audio interface preamps these days pack

quite a bit of value that most home recorders will never really outgrow. Those of you who are

willing to starve (or are willing to skip the trip to Hawaii) can get sonic gains from the higher

end gear. How much? It's limited.

I think this whole tube thing is hyped up considerably because of guitar player instincts. A

guitar amp is supposed to distort the living crap out of the signal. Mic preamps are entirely

different. Even the more colored mic preamps on the market (tube or solid state) don't distort

the signal anywhere near what a guitar amp does. Because of this, it's impossible for anyone

I know to tell you which preamp was used to record a track without an A/B test.

The general consensus for guitar land is solid state is completely acceptable when you want

clean playback. Much like digital technology, solid state amplifiers just don't happen to distort

as pleasingly. This concept can be easily illustrated by taking a look at your home stereo.

Unless you are on the robo high-end side of things, you probably are using a solid state

92

amplifier to listen to your music, yet your favorite recordings sound amazing. How can that

be?

Now, when it comes to actual preamp selection I've gotten my hands on the Presonus ADL

600 and Manley TNT (both of these 2 channel preamps are in the $2k+ region). First, I have

to say that if I was going to pick just one preamp, I wouldn't want it to be a tube circuit. Based

on what I've heard from both of these, the tube sounds big. The tube sound is a little too big

for me when I've got 20-30 tracks to work with. These tube preamps have a darker vibe to

them than their solid state counterparts and tend to have lower harmonics. For most

applications, I'd take a good solid state preamp. The Neve, Trident, SSL, and API sounds

that all the big boys rave about are all solid state designs and if we took away these four

companies, we have to take away probably 80-90% of all major label recordings made since

1970.

Now, when it comes to the low end of the scale, it's even more of a hit and miss. My gut says

that a good tube preamp is going to cost more than a good solid state preamp. Why?

Because tube circuits have more stuff that makes them expensive. Transformers and tubes

are a start, but the list goes on and on. Many budget tube preamp circuits aren't using the

tube as you would expect anyway. Using a tube in a wall-wart power supply, for example,

isn't exactly going to give the impact it would in the actual audio path.

On the low end of things, it doesn't make a bit of sense to me to bother with tube this or solid

state that when we are using preamps that aren't great to begin with. If you are the kind of

guy who wants to fuss with preamps, then you are aware of the sonic differences between the

high end and the low end pres. I'd guess if you are the kind of person who absolutely

demands the high end gear, then the circuit topology (tube vs solid state) in a budget preamp

is going to be irrelevant.

Will The Band Notice High End Preamps?

I may have to eat some of my words. Will the band notice high-end preamps? In the past, I

93

would have answered that problem with a distinct “no”. I may have even slapped in an

exclamation point to hammer the point home. Now I'm not so sure.

When conducting Interrogations for Killer Home Recording, it became increasingly obvious to

me that band people CAN hear preamps in many situations. To hear this difference does not

require a lab coat or 30 years of audio engineering experience. It simply requires a bit of

listening.

As I was conducting these Interrogations, I have to admit that I was naturally leery of the

impact of high-end gear. A part of me really wanted a Martech MSS-10 ($2,000 for a single

preamp) to have no noticeable impact over a Presonus Firestudio preamp. After I had a few

Interrogations finished, I would ask friends and fellow musicians to listen to a couple. I found

that on many sources, once the person got acclimated to what a preamp does, they were

able to identify which one sounded better (at least to a degree that was consistent with my

opinions).

It’s important to note that I'd ask the person, “Which sounds better.” Then I'd play both files.

Each and every time, you could see the person was putting on their thinking cap. Each

person had that indescribable thing that happens to the forehead when engaged in deep,

profound thought. In those situations where we’re playing the “Can You Find The Difference

Game?” most people did choose the high-end stuff.

This preamp Interrogation business sort of reminds me of when I need to go outside at night.

When I first walk out, I'm stepping on rocks, shovels, land mines (from my dog), and who

knows what else, because I'm completely blind (and should take better care of my yard). In a

matter of minutes, my vision becomes much more acute. I can see details that were getting

lost just a few minutes ago. Bear Grylls says after 45 minutes in the dark, your vision will

become outstanding.

In a real deal session, few of us are allowed the luxury to let our eyes get used to the dark or

our ears to get used to what the preamps are doing. Most of us are fighting our sources to

94

the extent that the subtle nature of preamp character isn't going to make a truly life-altering

impact on what we are doing. For example, a guitar player who can't play in tune renders any

possible benefits of the high-end preamp useless. However, when the time is taken to really

listen, most of us will often hear benefit from the high-end gear. In other words, I've decided

that this whole high-end microphone / preamp / compressor / converter business is for more

than just audio engineer nerds, but at the same time, it's not something that those of us who

make records in a hurry are going to have the time to compare or may even hear any benefit

with.

The Big Issue

Maybe a person can hear the difference if put on the spot and allowed to put on their thinking

cap and concentration glasses. However, that doesn't mean the track sounds good. A

person hears a vocal recording. They immediately form an opinion. Maybe on a 1 to 10

scale, the vocal gets a 7. Then they listen to the two tracks with dramatically different

preamps (in terms of cost) and after three of four listens to each they make a slightly nervous

guess.

They've already decided that the vocal was a 7. If you had to ask them to re-rate the more

expensive one, I can't imagine they say anything more than 7.1 out of 10.

Q I have a friend who insists on doing everything:

in analog. Should I go this route?

A: The fact that your friend uses analog tells us a few things. #1 It says that your friend has

been doing this for a long time. If he is doing everything analog, it's fairly safe to assume he

has the experience and understanding to make great recordings. So I'd imagine that the

analog part has very, very little to do with his sound. It's his tremendous skill that makes his

recordings sound great. #2 If he is using all analog, he got into recording with a sizable

investment. This would illustrate his commitment to the craft.

95

There is no doubting that analog tape was the dominant force for recording classic albums for

several generations. With that said, I think it's easy to overlook just how dominant a force

computer based recording has become in 2000s. Different tastes will prefer different eras,

but just because a person may prefer music from a certain era does not mean their recording

method must be from that era as well.

While I'm not trying to change anyone's mind who insists on analog tape recording, it's

important to make sure you understand the benefits and limitations of either technology so

that you can form your own opinion and know exactly why you insist on one method or the

other.

There are many advantages of digital over analog.

• No purchase of analog tape

• No need to waste hours and hours aligning a tape machine before each session

• No worry about tape hiss.

• Most people who dealt with analog tape will tell you that the really good analog

recordings were done with the most high end of machines and a crappy analog tape is

not nearly as magical as may be implied.

• Purchasing all outboard gear for mixing is very expensive. For me to do what I do

during mixing with a $400 computer, Cubase, and $4,000k in plugins would cost

somewhere between $30,000-50,000 with hardware. Maybe more. Some argue that

the real stuff is marginally better than plugins. Maybe. However, human skill is 100x

more important, and that's the part I'm worried most about.

• With computer recording, you have the ability to save and recall a mix instantly. This

won't make a mix sound better, but it does allow you to make quick, slight, incremental

revisions that can dramatically improve a mix. If nothing else, you can work on a

different project without doing a total remix.

• Recording software allows you to work with VST instruments (synths and samples)

much easier.

96

• If you are listening to anything modern, the odds are very strong that it was done

digitally in some way.

I generally do not recommend anyone getting started to go the analog route. I can definitely

see situations where once an engineer is skilled enough, he may decide to try analog tape

out. He may even like it. At that point, the sky is the limit. Knock yourself out. However,

you've got to crawl before you can walk. You may need training wheels for this one. While

you are putting together a great sounding environment, it would be a good idea to start with

the least expensive quality tools available and work your way up. Any potential (and

debatable) benefits of analog tape are tossed out the window if any link in your recording

chain is broken, so approach this one when you get bored.

This analog vs. digital argument is pretty much dead these days. I consider it little more than

a distraction for a person wanting to record their music at home. Jump in with a digital

recording system and make a great recording. When you get bored and rich, you can try out

analog.

Q Do I Need A Control Surface?:

I never recommend a control surface in the very beginning. In fact, I've been recording for

nearly 7 years as of this writing and I still haven't been able to convince myself that a control

surface is worth the grand or so. I'm not even sure if it's worth anything to me. With that said,

it's hard for me to say, “You don't need this!” when I've never really used one. Then again, I

can say without hesitation, “I don't NEED a control surface! Why should you?” For me, it's

not that I take an anti-control surface point of view. It's more of an issue that I don't have a

grand to spend on a new mouse when I have so many important things to purchase that will

have a direct impact on the music.

What Is A Control Surface?

97

A control surface is a set of faders that resemble

an analog console, but actually control the mixer

inside the recording software within the computer.

Some people refer to a control surface as a

“glorified mouse”. There are some folks who feel

better with a set of faders in front of them than a

conventional computer mouse in their hand.

Control surfaces allow you to adjust faders, aux

sends, etc within your computer software from a

box that is supposed to look and feel like something you'd see in an old-school studio with an

analog console. There is something about the feel of real faders in your hands that I could

see being pleasing, and maybe even faster in the mixing process, particularly to a person

who hasn't replaced their right hand with a mouse (like I have considered). Some mixing

engineers probably consider mixing to be more fun on a console. There could be some real

benefit to having your hands on a fader, or 40, when setting levels.

However, I still don't see how the end result should be any different. Regardless of the fact

that playing with a metal thing that slides up and down might be fun. Who's to say that the

spinning of the wheel in the mouse is any different? Is there something inherently more

musical about sliding a metal thing versus spinning a plastic thing? Maybe. Maybe not. It's

rare that I don't use the wheel in the mouse to set my levels. In the end, I'm convinced that

the results would be similar in regard to setting volume faders, but who's to say? Maybe I'm

really missing out.

I think the differences in using a control surface and using a mouse come in the automation

side of things. When you automate things with a fader you get this natural, random, imperfect

organic thing that really only occurs from human interaction with a device. In many cases,

this is a performance within itself, and you can come up with interesting results that you would

never come up with by plotting dots with a mouse. This “organic” method of automating may

end up adding a little extra to the tune.

Then again, I'm not sure how much this theory really holds water. When I have an idea for an

echo for a vocal, I hear it in my head. I already know what I want. When I start drawing the

98

Mackie Control Universal Pro

lines for the aux send to a delay, I'm going for something specific. I stop when I get it. Done.

Would it have mattered if I had used a control surface vs. a mouse? I'm not sure. However,

my ability to get what I want seems to be more dependent on how I set the delay or other

processing than the nature of the way I drew the line that sends signal to the processor.

A buddy of mine had his album mixed by a big producer dude in Nashville on an SSL. While

there were some things that were great about mixing on a real console, I thought the

automation process was kind of “clunky”. It just seemed like an outdated way of doing things.

I can't help but think if I was mixing on an SSL console, I would prefer to tap into the SSL's

computer and draw my automation in there as opposed to using the faders. I don't know.

This may be personal preference. I just didn't see any example where a “human”

performance in the automation department was particularly beneficial to the music.

Some people like to say that control surfaces use one side of the brain and the mouse uses

the other. These must be people who don't feel comfortable creating with a mouse. I'm of the

opinion that the computer has been used for a billion creative purposes and it really doesn't

matter if you spin a wheel on a mouse or turn a knob on a console. I can guarantee you that

the side of my brain I'm using when I mix is not the same side of my brain that writes PHP

code for web database applications or balances my checkbook. I feel that I am being

creative, and I don't feel like I'm clamped down by my mouse. I can do anything I want (within

the limits of my own skills and abilities). Then again, maybe I'm just a computer nerd and I

don't know what I'm missing.

The big thing that really interests me about the control surface is the ability to do things that

would take ages with a mouse. Pumping tracks up and down to the beat is a cool way to

create excitement in my tracks. (Note: I'm not talking about the “pumping” that describes the

sound of an overworked compressor.) There are probably other things that I just don't think

about that may be easier with faders. It's tough to say. Until I can think of these, I'm keeping

the subwoofer and big drum room as my top ways to blow my money. If you really like the

idea of using faders, knock yourself out. However, I can't help but think there may be a

weaker link in your chain than your mouse.

In the end, when I'm listening to a mix in the car, I never say “Awww! You can tell I drew the

automation with a mouse! Damn it!”

99

What do you think of USB microphones?

USB microphones can be a great way of getting into this recording thing on a very tight

budget. They do have their limitations, however, and these need to be noted. USB

microphones are often of higher quality than most expect when shelling out only a few

hundred bucks or less for a full blown recording setup. These mics are usually the equivalent

of the other $100 microphones on the market. Usually they are a bit bright and a bit fizzy

when compared to mics that cost thousands of dollars, but they are a dramatic improvement

over computer talkback microphones and the type of products you find in consumer

electronics stores. Most people are surprised by how good they sound.

The components in USB microphones are very inexpensive, but usually of better quality than

one would expect. The USB microphone manufacturers cut corners on features and options.

My biggest complaint with USB microphones is not the microphone. It's the audio interface /

soundcard they are replacing. The USB microphones really cut corners on the audio

interface. If you are simply recording a lecture like you would with a tape recorder, USB

microphones are fine. If what you do requires monitoring of some kind where you must hear

yourself in headphones, most USB microphones are dreadfully lacking. Some have no way

to get audio back to you at all and therefore rely on the stock soundcard to have low enough

latency to pull this off.

Another shortcoming of many USB microphones is the preamp. No, I'm not nagging about

the fidelity aspect necessarily. Make sure the preamp for your USB microphone does not use

some kind of auto-gain circuit like you find in most video cameras. Auto gain circuits detect

the level of incoming signal and boost it when it is quiet. You do not want this for anything

that requires actual fidelity.

While I don't want to get into specific models, I've have noticed that some USB microphone

models have solutions for monitoring, have real preamps with no auto-gain circuits, and are

fairly well thought out for music recording use. If these meet your needs, they are worth

looking at. You should definitely ask around first and don't assume the microphone has made

100

concessions for your way of working, because many of them have not.

If you are on a very, very, very tight budget, and your needs are geared more towards the

recording sounds that do not require low latency monitoring, I can think of worse routes than

the USB microphone. However, if your needs are higher (particularly in the monitoring

category), I would double check to make sure that the USB mic can do everything you

think/assume it can.

The New Era of USB Recording

If you have made up your mind that you want to record with a USB microphone, you may

want to check out this doohickey. This adapter thingy allows you to use a standard

microphone within the USB realm. That way if you ever want to upgrade to a real audio

interface or sell the microphone you aren't stuck with the USB format.

What Is the Best Most Affordable Mastering Plug in?/ -I don't believe in "mastering" plug-ins, because they don't do anything different than "mixing"

plug-ins, which don't do anything different than "tracking" plug-ins. There are many big boy

hardware "mastering" equalizers that allow for more subtle, fine-tuning than the standard

models. I can't think of a good reason why a compressor that is good enough for a lead vocal

isn't good enough for the stereo bus (assuming it sounds right in either application).

Sometimes a lead vocal will require a certain compressor and color, but (so far) most of the

plug-ins contained in these "mastering" applications can be quite colored, too.

You may want to take a look at this:

http://www.recordingreview.com/blog/mastering/tracks-3-deluxe-mastering-mixing-plugins-

review/

Monitoring For Performers

I make a huge deal about monitoring in this book when it comes to audio engineers making

101

accurate decisions about mic placement, gear selection, instrument selection, and mixing.

However, now I turn the attention to the person actually performing. Just as an engineer is

completely lost if they can't hear what they are doing, a musician is lost as well.

There are various methods for providing headphone mixes. Unfortunately, your options for

setting a headphone monitoring system require a bit more technical knowledge than we'd

probably prefer, but I hope to simplify this whole headphone mix mess.

I own a Presonus Firestudio audio interface. While not robo-expensive, it's towards the top of

the Presonus line. Because of the many features built into this audio interface, I have a

number of options when it comes to creating headphone mixes. Most budget audio interfaces

won't have features such as a DSP signal routing matrix or the ability to output up to 9 stereo

mixes. Then again, if a 2 channel audio interface meets your needs, you probably won't be

recording too many 9-piece bands live in the studio anyway.

Recording Software Monitoring

My first “go to” method is monitoring through the software. If I'm only recording a single

person I always use this method. So if you are recording yourself, this is the method I

recommend. Let's say we are recording vocals. The signal travels from the vocal mic >

preamp > analog to digital converter > computer > recording software.

In the recording software I can manipulate the audio as I wish by adding compression, maybe

reverb or delay, etc. I love having this control because I use the same exact model of

headphones listening to the same exact mix as the singer. The only difference between what

I hear and what the singer hears is the sound of their own voice is resonating in them. Other

than that, I keep everything identical in our headphone mixes so I can adapt to quiet sections

in the song, loud sections in the song, etc by simply moving a fader in my recording software.

I do have to say that there are some creative benefits to using certain reverbs and delays, so

don't rule those out and make sure to crank up the predelay extra high on reverb in the

headphones.

102

After I've tinkered with the audio in my recording software, it flows back out the computer >

digital to analog converter in my audio interface > headphone amp > headphone extension

cable > headphones.

Requirements:

• Low latency audio interface - All of this processing is done in real time. In order for the

signal to flow through this gear so fast the singer doesn't notice any delay, I must have

a low latency audio interface/soundcard that gets the audio in and pull it back out of

the computer as quickly as possible.

• Capable recording software - You must have recording software capable of software

monitoring (which almost all do these days).

• Powerful CPU / Low overhead - Low latency always adds additional strain to any

computer. It's as if we have a whip out saying “Faster! Faster!” If you are already

pushing your CPU to the limit with a particular tune, you'll have trouble when you turn

the latency down to settings low enough to use computer monitoring. My computer is

fairly dated by today’s standards, and I have to pay attention to the amount of CPU

power I'm using, but seldom is it an issue. With lower latencies, the risk of clicks and

pops arises.

• Headphone amp – In this case, it would be simple to use the built-in single headphone

jack in my audio interface. However, I want to hear what the singer is hearing, and I

definitely want individual volume controls. So I feed all channels of Behringer 4-

channel headphone amp with the single stereo out signal from my Presonus

Firestudio. This is a luxury, and most people would be content using the headphone

output in the audio interface (if applicable).

Benefits:

• The singer hears exactly what is being recorded for the best possible performance.

• I hear exactly what is being recorded. If there are clicks and pops, I know about it. If

there are weird issues with the microphone, I know about it.

• If the singer wants to listen at rock concert levels, they can. I can be a wimp and live

103

to hear another day by turning my own volume down.

• Adding any effect via plugin is a godsend. I don't track vocals without compression.

It's rare that I don't give the singer just a bit of reverb or delay. Sometimes the effects

inspire the singer to give an over the top performance.

• When using budget preamps to boost low-output signals, noise is often a problem, but

even worse, sometimes it's tough to get the signal out of the track you are recording

loud enough. One way to help is to use a healthy boost in the makeup gain on a

compressor (even if you aren't actually compressing anything) to get the level you are

looking for.

• No headphone amp is required if the audio interface has one built in.

• Software monitoring is the way that all guitar simulator plugins and virtual instruments

(synths and samples) work. If you are ever going to use any of these tools, there is no

other way to go. Users who are used to monitoring via hardware struggle with high

latency when attempting to utilize real time processes in the computer.

I consider software monitoring to be the way to go for anyone recording a single source and

who has the proper gear to meet all requirements. The fancy stuff I've mentioned like

separate volume controls for headphones and such can be ignored. For people recording

themselves, there is no need for such redundancy anyway.

DSP Routing Matrix Monitoring

My Presonus Firestudio is capable of recording up to 26 simultaneous inputs if I take

advantage of the ADAT inputs. My rig currently allows for 18 inputs. These inputs are

simultaneously sent to the recording software, but are also sent to the light-weight DSP

“mixer” (this may be a bit of a stretch), which allows me to create up to 9 headphone mixes

(Note: This would use 9 stereo outputs while my audio interface only has 4 stereo (8 mono)

outputs and one headphone output. An additional ADAT (8 mono channels) output would be

required to utilize all 9 stereo headphone mixes).

The “light weight mixer” works very similar to how aux sends work on a conventional analog

104

board. Aux #1 goes to the drummer, for example. If I turn up the bass guitar for Aux #1, the

bass gets louder only in the drummer's headphones. This is easy enough to figure out.

Requirements: Audio interface with a DSP routing matrix

Enough outputs from the interface and headphone amplifier channels to supply

individual mixes

Benefits: Allows for all band members to have individual mixes. (The importance of this is

debated by some).

You don't have to spend a sizable amount of cash on a mixer with 4 aux sends, and

you don't have to spend the outrageous amount of cash required for a mixer with 9 aux

sends.

I'm not aware of any mixer that allows stereo aux sends, but my DSP routing matrix

does and I'd expect most others to as well. In my opinion stereo headphone mixes

make it dramatically easier to hear what is going on in a more natural way.

Latency is a non-issue. Because the audio bypasses the computer and goes straight

to the headphone amp, the latency is diminished to practically nothing. The audio

does have to pass through the DSP routing matrix, but that will add a tiny fraction of

what a Windows / Mac computer will add even with a real deal audio interface. The

recording computer could be set to using very high buffer settings and this could take a

big load off the computer.

Some downsides to DSP Routing Matrix Routing are that there are no effects without doing

some crazy routing in front of the audio interface or recording with those effects on in the first

place (which is seldom recommended). There is no compression, eq, reverb, or delay. You

simply get volume controls and that is it. That doesn't have to be a terrible thing, necessarily,

but I hate not giving singers compression in their headphones.

Note: Some brand new audio interfaces on the market have begun to introduce effects in

105

their DSP routing.

Analog Mixer Monitoring

Back in the day when I started, there wasn't

any of this DSP routing junk. You had to

buy a conventional analog mixer, use it for

all your monitoring needs, and then split off

the individual signals with half-normalled

inserts and feed your audio interface with

that.

This method made it easier to learn how the

signal flowed in an audio chain, as this is

made quite obvious when you get the hang

of a mixer, but may not be quite as obvious in a software control panel. With that said, the

concepts are essentially the same and 10 minutes of manual reading (OH NO!!!) should make

this a non-issue.

Requirements: Analog mixer with enough aux sends for each individual headphone mix.

Enough headphone amp channels to power all headphones

Benefits: Some people prefer knobs over computer sliders, but it's not like you need a ton of

“feel” when you are setting up headphone mixes.

Adding effects like reverb and delay is easy with hardware effects.

Zero latency

Computer does not deal with monitoring in any way and can therefore be set to high

latency.

106

Here's how to split a signal from a mixer to an audio interface

If you don't mind mono headphone mixes and shelling out the cost for an analog board, there

is nothing wrong with the old school method. It'll take some routing creativity and hardware to

add non-destructive compression the way you can with recording software, but it is possible.

Studio Monitors Pair Or Single Speaker?:

When buying studio monitors, always make sure you know whether the price given is for a

single studio monitor or for the pair. Studio monitor prices can get outrageously high. Simply

because the price is up there doesn't mean that you get two for that price. Pay attention. I

know this is common sense, but I've heard too many stories of people who were confused

paying $50 to ship a single studio monitor back to the warehouse because they couldn't afford

the second one.

Better Instruments vs Better Recording Gear

Should a home recording person dump their cash into better recording gear such as mics,

preamps, compressors, and studio monitors or should a person purchase better instruments?

It's a common debate that is never easy to answer.

It comes down to whom you are recording, and the weakest links in your chain. If an

instrument is not capable of delivering the necessary tone, no high-end mic or preamp will

save it. It seems a bit silly to run an acoustic guitar that everyone involved in the recording

agrees is “bad” through world class mics, preamps, compressors, and converters. The

recording toys only really become important once you get the source exactly how you want it

in the room and that means the “right” instrument must be chosen first.

Note: I want to make it clear that the price of the instrument is a non-factor in this situation.

We are looking for the “right” sound and not necessarily an expensive sound. If a $99

acoustic guitar gives you exactly what you are looking for, you may as well have the

necessary recording toys to capture that in an as-flattering-as-possible way.

107

In the end, I'm always looking for the “Wow!” factor. Changing mics has caused a “Wow!” a

few times from my clients, but not often. Changing preamps or converters has never incited

anything close to a “Wow!” from my clients. Switching from a modern digital guitar amp to my

various high-end guitar heads has given the “Wow!” response many, many times on a

consistent basis for all kinds of music. Using sample layering on drums has produced many

“Wow!” responses. So it's tough to say what is going to make the artist say “Wow!”

In the end, we are looking for the most obvious improvements in recording quality for as many

recordings as possible with limited funds. No one can really decide what is going to be the

best new investment for you, and few investments are going to apply in every situation

(except for studio monitoring). I say take a look at your weakest link and attack it. For most,

this is going to be studio monitoring, but there are definitely many other possibilities.

You really have to factor in how often this new acquisition is going to be utilized. For

example, when I purchased my electronic drum kit recently, I knew that not every band would

be willing to use it. Lets just say that half the bands insist on using the real thing. I went into

it knowing that the possibilities of electronic drums would be utilized by only 50% of my clients

and that made it easier when deciding how much to invest in an edrum kit. My electric guitar

amps have made their way on many, many recordings, but there may be a month where they

don't get turned on at all. There may be another month where I use them almost daily.

Things You Don t Know You Need'

Headphone extension cables

Headphones cords seldom stretch more than 10'. If you are recording a 6' tall dude and your

rack is 4 feet off the ground, you essentially have nothing left. Buy name brand headphone

extension cables because I've had horrendous experiences with the generic brands. This is

definitely an item I wouldn't skimp on! Definitely purchase upper-mid grade on these. You'll

be glad you did.

108

Adapters

1. 1/4” male to 1/8” male adapters

2. 1/8” female to 1/4” female adapters

3. RCA to 1/4”

4. 1/4” to RCA

5. 1/4” extender (to connect 2 1/4” cables together)

6. RCA extender (to connect 2 RCA cables together).

7. 1/4” to XLR male and 1/4” to XLR female (you could buy an adapter or just buy the

cable)

Of all the things I hate in life, I'd say the top 3 are socialist philosophies, war profiteers, and

1/4” to 1/8” adapters (with child molesters and various other sex offenders coming in fourth).

These damn adapters have caused me more grief at just the wrong time than any other

inanimate object in the universe. You'll know when it happens to you. The infamous “I can

only hear out of one ear” cliché is something I've heard a trillion times. It's caused by these

stupid adapters 99% of the time. The fix is usually shaking and twisting them. After an

adapter is really crappy, usually slamming it on the floor is the only way to revive

consciousness. Life is too short for this!

While these adapters are always going to be needed for various things, I highly recommend

you select gear that does not need them when possible (especially headphones). For the

gear that does, you'll just have to wing it.

When it comes to actually buying these adapters, I would be careful buying locally.

Consumer electronics stores are notorious for marking this stuff up by the bajillions. A simple

adapter should not cost $15 in my opinion. I recommend heading over to an online

electronics store and ordering at least one of each of all these. You may not need all of them

ever in your life, but the second you need one, you'll waste an evening tracking it down in

your hometown, waste gas, and end up paying about what you did for the entire package I

have listed here for a single adapter.

109

Common uses of adapters are:

The singer has his certain pair of headphones he/she likes (9 times out of 10 these

sound like something smelly my dog squeezes out of his body)

Someone wants to play you a song with their Ipod.

Someone wants to record the Wicked Witch of the East from a DVD and put it in one of

their songs.

You want to reamp guitar, but your reamp box only accepts XLR female.

You need to send signal to a video camera.

Extra blankets

Don't buy these. Find them! I'd say that 10% of the sessions I've done did not require a

blanket. I use blankets all the time for makeshift acoustic treatment. I have my infamous

Ninja Turtle blanket that I keep on a mic stand either behind or in front of the singer

(depending on whatever sounds better). I'd be lost if I didn't have three or four blankets

hanging around the studio.

If you can find a major label caliber studio that doesn't have blankets, I want their name, rank,

and serial number because they are up to something screwy.

Methods to stop a drum kit from sliding

If you find a drum kit that doesn't slide, go out and buy a lottery ticket because it is your lucky

day. No matter what, drum kits like to slide forward. One of these years, I'm going to screw a

2x4 into a piece of plywood. I think that would be the ideal solution (and it's nice to have a

hard surface under the drum kit). A $15 piece of carpet under the kick does an excellent job

of stopping the sliding, but it also absorbs all the high end from the bottom of the kit that I'd

otherwise prefer to have (particularly in smaller rooms). I've had luck with cinder blocks. I've

also had luck with batteries from a Caterpillar (I was going to build some UPS power supplies

and never got around to it). 15-pound weights from a weight lifting set did nothing. Good

luck. Put just a bit of thought into this beforehand and you'll save yourself from a bind. Also,

110

keep in mind that when a drum kit moves, all that fancy measuring and mic placement goes

down the toilet. I've seen kick drums go out of phase because they have shifted over the

course of a session.

Phone book

If you are recording bands, always have a phone book handy. I can't stress this one enough!

I debated whether I should put this in here, and then I realized it's the single most important

bit of advice in this book. When bands ask for the phonebook, it means they are ordering

pizza! When bands make a trip to Burger King, 20% of them will offer to buy you a Whopper

or whatever. (If they do, actually work hard on their mixes, but if they don't, intentionally erase

half their session!) However, when bands order pizza, it's an 89% chance that you'll be

getting a free supper! Always have a phone book!

Music stand

No one knows their own lyrics. Everyone wants a music stand. I bought one on Ebay that

resembles an extremely long toothpick and a binder combined. Get a real music stand. It'll

make life easier. You will use it more than you think.

Duct Tape

Do I even have to explain this one! You will use it way more than you realize. For example, I

went through a phase where I recorded all my electric guitars with the volume on 10. This

was very fun. It also had enough pressure inside the guitar cabinet that it literally blew the

1/4” speaker cable out the back of the cabinet on a regular basis. The solution was simple. I

just used duct tape to reinforce it. I could probably name 45 other situations where I never

would have expected to use duct tape to save a session.

111

Flash Drive

I think I may like flash drives better than Oscar Meyer hot dogs on white bread. I consider a

flash drive to be equal to the same hot dog on a real hot dog bun. Flash drives are a

godsend for anyone working on a computer that isn't hooked to the internet. Because the

internet is a blood sucking rapist of recording computer performance, it's great to have an

easy way to deliver files to and from other computers. All updates, new plugins, etc go

through the flash drive. All my early mixes go to the flash drive to be heard on my home

computer speakers. I've probably saved 500 cd-rs this year alone with my flash drive and

hours of time. Get one! I recommend spending a few extra bucks and getting at least a 4GB.

(I can't wait until when people are laughing at that one in 2015! If you don't have a teleporter

or flying cars quit laughing and shut up!)

Bulk CD-Rs

Some mixes are going to take you twenty tries to get right. It's the nature of the beast when

you are pushing the limits or struggling with your studio monitoring. I go through cd-rs like my

girlfriend goes through toilet paper. (Don't ask! I don't understand it either). You can save

some cash by buying a metric ton of cd-rs online, but I've actually found the best deals just by

taking a look at what is on sale at my local consumer electronics stores. There is usually one

brand that is on robo-clearance and costs 1/5 the regular price. Check online to see what the

going rate is and then check your local stores. You may be surprised.

Bottled Water

Singers always get sick right before a session. If you are lucky enough to pass through that

hurdle unscathed, you will still encounter a singer who is really dried out. Singers should be

guzzling water like they are hydrating for a marathon so always have bottled water around.

Just buy a bulk package and bury it in your kitchen. Always keep a few in the fridge.

No, tap water isn't good enough for any singer I know. Don't ask!

112

Coffee

If you don't rely on a chemical dependency to keep you going during long sessions, you are

doing something wrong. Some say the love of coffee (and whiskey) was the downfall of the

Native Americans. If I were an Indian, I'd have to say it was worth it (except for all the

starvation and general betrayal imposed by the United States). I pretty much draw the line

after coffee, but obviously some artists take it much further. Even if you don't drink the stuff

(yet!) it's nice to have it around when people do need it.

Extra Chairs

It's always amazed me how for certain sessions, 15 people show up. Not only does this turn

me into a paranoid schizophrenic who is about to have a nervous breakdown, it also forces

those people to stand. It's always good to have a few extra chairs lying around if you record

others.

Then again, I must admit that after the session is over and I experience what Rolaids claims

to deliver, I get huge satisfaction knowing that a) I now have 15 people that no longer believe

in “studio magic” and b) I'll be lucky if 2 people show up, let alone 15, for the next session.

Guitar Tuner

You'd be amazed at how many people don't bring tuners to the studio. Why? I have no idea!

If you are on a budget, I know there are free tuner plugins out there. I prefer needle tuners to

strobe tuners generally, but unless you are a guitar nerd, a tuner is pretty much a tuner.

Guitar Strings

I always keep a few different sizes of acoustic and electric guitar strings around. I make my

views on the subject of new strings very clear throughout Killer Home Recording. It's not

worth the risk of putting your name on a recording that used 6 month old strings because you

were too cheap to invest $4 for a rainy day. If necessary, order them to save you a couple of

113

bucks.

Entertainment For Bored People

There are two schools of thought on this one. Either you want the non-decision makers to get

bored and fall asleep during long mixing sessions, or you want them to be preoccupied. I

usually take the latter route. Depending on your clients, it's nice to have books with jokes,

funny pictures, animals mating, people mating, religious material, etc just to give people

something to do when you are fiddling with automation on aux send #5.

These sorts of things can be real icebreakers when working with new people. We discuss

that in Killer Home Recording: Vocals.

Things Not To Buy Yet

Some things you purchase for your studio are a no-brainer. You can't really buy the wrong

chair, for example. However, some things are a bit complicated and require a bit of

understanding before you dive in.

Anything Involving Acoustics

In “Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering” you'll get a hardcore dose of why acoustics is

not as simple as stapling some egg crate foam to the walls.

Anything Involving Aesthetics

It's very possible that all of your pretty stuff will end up in the trash when you need to move

your Mona Lisa to make room for real deal acoustical treatment. Before you pour your

concrete, you may want to measure first. So figure out what you are doing before you finalize

it. Then if you want womanize your studio, knock yourself out.

114

Studio Furniture

As I discuss later on here in “Killer Home Recording: Setting Up” and in even more detail in

“Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering,” it's extremely important not to buy a 400lb desk

before you figure out where to place your studio monitors. Hint: It's not Feng shui!

X Red Niner Secret Recording Technology- -

There is this implication that X recording gear company has the secret Stealth technology that

the US military guards with guys carrying gigantic machine guns and fancy night vision. The

information is so sensitive that the Russians have attempted to infiltrate this Stealth audio

technology multiple times.

(Sound of needle scratching a record.) Wait just a minute! The audio amplifier has been

around since the days of Edison. This puts it in the technological era of the invention of the

light bulb. They had microphones and playback systems back when you had to carry water to

your house with a bucket and you crapped outside.

I once read that the most awesome set of studio monitors in the world were created in the

1950s. What? The 1950s? Didn't audio playback systems sound terrible back then? Yes

and no. The playback systems that my family could afford certainly weren't anything that we

would consider to be of tremendous fidelity today. However, trusted engineers who have

heard this system, which cost the price of a few nukes back in the heyday of the Cold War,

say that it's about as good as sound gets. In other words, audio fidelity reached its pinnacle

in the 1950s, and we haven't done a damn thing to improve it in half a century. Okay, maybe

there have been some improvements, but the real issue here is not what a $20,000,000

speaker sounds like. The issue here is what a $100, $500, or $5,000 speaker sounds like. In

the past half century, the quality of a $500 speaker has improved infinitely! So, as much as

we'd like to think that the best of the best technology has improved, it really hasn't, but the

accessible technology has improved tremendously for the price.

115

In other words, really good stuff is much cheaper than it used to be.

Now when we think of the most popular recording gear on the planet, most big boy engineers

would love to get their paws on a Neumann U47, a Neve 1073, and a LA-2A compressor.

This is one hell of a signal chain! However, from a technology standpoint, we aren't exactly

cutting edge here. The U47 debuted in 1949. The Neve 1073 first showed up in 1970

(utilizing the brand new NON-TUBE transistor technology). The LA-2A appeared in 1965.

Note: The computer on the Apollo spacecraft from the era was 2Mhz.

Why in the world is this old junk so popular? You hop in a 1960 fighter plane. I'll jump in a

2008 fighter jet. We'll see who dies first. Okay, we both would crash, but you get my point.

My point is, in recording land, the best of the best hasn't changed in 40 years. The notion that

anything groundbreaking is going on in the world of audio gear went to the wayside before the

Vietnam War ended. They didn't even have microwaves! You had to boil your hot dogs back

then! AHHHH!

So, just remember that Presonus or RME Hammerfall are not leasing land in New Mexico to

test nuclear explosions. They are simply trying to get the sound of that 40-year technology in

a package that the average Joe can afford. The differences between all these various

companies hitting various price points appears to be very small. There are no innovations.

There is no secret technology. I'm pretty sure the patents on the holy grail gear ended years

ago. So don't overplay this gear thing!

How To Break Recording Gear

Whenever a person starts a new craft, they are always afraid for the worst. They are afraid

they are going to break something. When someone asks me to hold a baby, I look at them as

if there is a large venomous snake running around the room. My eyes grow wide. Panic

begins to set in. The only thing I can think of is “Don't break this thing! Don't break this thing!

(Deep breath) Don't break this thing!” (Calling a baby “this thing” goes over very well with the

mothers!).

116

Then, when kids get big enough where I can knock them down for fun and I am supposed to

break them, I thrive. I come into my own.

So let's talk about what you have to be afraid of and what you can chill out about so you can

“come into your own”.

Irreversibly Breakable Things

Crushing

If you were to run over every item in your recording studio with a dump truck, the only thing

that would survive would be the SM57s. Other than that, all recording items are susceptible

to extreme weight.

Excessive Electricity

If you had a method for bumping your 110V signal up to something dramatically higher, you

could fry your gear. It is important to plug 110V gear into a 110V outlet and 220V gear into a

220V outlet. This isn't really an issue for those of us in the United States, because I've never

encountered any recording product that ran on 220V.

Using Exponentially Excessive Signals

If you were to plug in the speaker output of your guitar amp which is outputting 100 watts into

a line level signal that has a limit of something like 0.0001 watt, or whatever (I made that

number up), then you could have problems.

Basically, if you run enough electricity to kill a person through an input that was designed for

micro-level voltages, you are probably going to kill that device. So if you wouldn't touch your

cat with that signal, you probably don't want it to touch line-level recording gear either.

Flooding

It goes without saying that you don't want to soak any of your recording gear. Under this

category I will also include volcanoes.

117

Deleting Windows or Program Files

Software obviously requires specific files to function. I've encountered computer beginners

who have no problem going into C:\Windows and deleting files randomly. This is the

equivalent to doctor taking a chainsaw to a person's chest when they are having ankle

problems. As long as you don't touch anything within C:\Program Files on a PC, you probably

aren't going to break it.

That's pretty much it. I can't think of any other way to cause permanent damage to your

recording gear off the top of my head. I didn't bother including tornadoes, earthquakes, or

hurricanes. That joke got old after volcanoes. Basically, with exception to mechanical stuff

simply breaking, for a person to destroy their recording gear, they have to intentionally set out

to break it.

In terms of anything that involves a low-output signal, you can pretty much plug it into

anything without any problems. In terms of software, there is never a need to delete program

files. You use the “uninstall” function for that.

Have Confidence!

Get in there and start playing. You may mess something up a bit, but the problem is usually

immediately solvable by plugging the cable into the correct input or resetting a few settings in

your recording software. Have fun! That's the only way you learn.

118

Audio Interfaces

The audio interface is your gateway into the computer realm. If you are recording using a

standalone box, you won't need to bother with this chapter. If you are brand new to computer

recording or just planning your initial purchases, this is the chapter is for you!!

What Is An Audio Interface?

An audio interface (a.k.a. soundcard) is the device that lets you send audio into and out of

your computer. It is the hub of your recording rig that makes using a computer possible. I

always recommend a “real deal” audio interface designed for audio recording. Consumer

grade versions found at your local electronics store are not always cut out for music

recording.

Here are a few examples of audio interfaces:

As you can see, an audio interface can come in many shapes and sizes with different options

for connections. Interfaces with several inputs are typically rack mountable and can connect

to your computer using USB, Firewire, or PCI.

119

M-Audio Audiophile 2496Presonus Firestudio

M-Audio Delta 1010

What Is Wrong With My Computers Stock Soundcard?

I'm often asked why it is necessary to purchase an audio interface when a w computer

already has a sound card. There is nothing wrong with your computer's stock soundcard for

playing back mp3s and other consumer grade activities.

However, that soundcard is not designed to convert the audio you are recording into a high

quality format that you can mangle with your recording software. Even that “upgraded”

soundcard from your local electronics superstore which I'm sure came with an amazing

graphic on the box won't cut it for home recording in most instances.

If you made it through the mine field with a fancy consumer soundcard, expect some really

bad luck tomorrow because this you've used all the good luck you can expect in a week.

Latency

Latency is the time it takes for your computer to process stuff. In audio land, this is usually

associated with the amount of time it takes for sound to go in, get processed, and come back

out of your computer's soundcard.

Let's pretend we are going to run a MIDI controlled keyboard into the computer. When we

strike a key on the MIDI controller, the MIDI data will flow through the computer to trigger a

synth or sample within the computer. In this example, we'll fire up some piano samples.

When we strike a key, there should be no noticeable lag in time. In other words, we should

hear the note immediately just like we are playing it through a standard keyboard or a real

piano. Your stock soundcard is probably going to take a while to process this note. It is slow

and cheap by design and will have to sit around and think about the note that needs to be

played.

I've seen stock soundcards take as long as 250ms to play a note. This means every note you

strike will be behind 250ms. It's impossible to play this way! The solution is to use a low

latency audio interface that can process this piano note in just a few milliseconds so the delay

120

is not audible by the person playing.

The issue of low latency isn't limited to the playback of virtual instruments (synths and

samples) on your computer. This becomes an issue anytime you want to hear what you are

playing through the recording software. We'll discuss this later, but I prefer to monitor from

within my recording software because it gives me tremendously greater control of the

headphone mix. I monitor through my recording software every step of the way from the

tracking of the drums to the tracking of the vocals. This would be impossible without a low

latency audio interface.

Note: Some people do not monitor through their recording software, and are able to get by

on their stock soundcard, but I do not recommend this route. The reasons for this are

numerous. We'll get into them shortly.

When I fire up an electric guitar, the first thing I do is move the amp to an isolated area so I

don't have to listen to it. Then I slap up a mic and start listening to the guitar through the

studio monitors. This allows me to hear exactly what the mic is picking up and make

adjustments as necessary. This would not be possible without a low latency audio interface

as the sound of the guitar would lag behind what the guitar player is doing.

Electric guitar plugin emulators are becoming more popular each and every day but they are

next to impossible to use if the guitar player can’t hear what he’s doing in real time.

You may get lucky and find that your current soundcard is adequate for low latency recording.

Go ahead and try cranking the latency down to the point that it is acceptable for monitoring

vocals with no significant delay. If you can reduce the latency low enough without static,

clicks, pops, and the infamous “blue screen of death” you may actually be able to get away

with using your computers stock soundcard. Consider yourself lucky.

121

Analog To Digital Conversion

The device that converts an analog wave to a bunch of numbers the computer can use is

known as an A/D converter. All A/D converters are not created equal. The higher the quality

of conversion, the less unpleasing distortion added to your recorded tracks.

Generally speaking, A/D converters are usually not as prone to subjectivity as other links in

the recording chain. In other words, there really isn't a case I know of where a person wanted

poor A/D conversion as a “cool effect”. I'm guessing that the guy singing through guitar

pickups or a megaphone on a major label recording is still being routed through high end

converters. Poor quality converters tend to sound harsh.

The effects of high end converters (which cost thousands of dollars) are fairly subtle. Some

people can't hear a difference at all. However, it's possible that the converters in your stock

soundcard are so bad that the difference would be quite noticeable. They may sound okay at

first to the untrained ear, but once you know what you’re listening for it’s easy to tell the

difference.

With that said, I don't want to overemphasize this quality difference. A pro could use the

converters in an $8 sound card and still smoke anything that 90% of people recording at

home are cranking out regardless if they are using multi-thousand dollar converters.

Lack Of Features

Audio recording has its own unique demands that few people outside the recording realm

face. This is why consumer grade stuff is not recommended. I'll break down all possible

audio interface features below.

Adapters

This may seems like a small issue, but the connections that you use hook up your recording

gear are not the same connections that are used in consumer land. I hate adapters with an

extreme passion. Consumer soundcards seem to always come with the dreaded 1/8” jack.

122

(If this were a Will Ferrell movie, he'd yell some fear-related stupidity at the mere mention of

the word.) Here on Earth, we need to cure a few things: World hunger, Cancer, AIDs, and

1/8” jacks.

Audio Interface Features

Analog Inputs

Drums

For every separate track you wish to record simultaneously, you need an input. A person

recording a drum set with 8 microphones must have 8 inputs on their interface in order to

manipulate these tracks individually inside their recording software. A person overdubbing

acoustic guitar, vocals, or any other instrument which only requires a single microphone to

capture, may only need one input. I recently recorded an album for a band that did their

drums in a big studio. We recorded the rest at my studio one instrument at a time. I only

used one single input for the entire project.

How many inputs do you need? This is entirely dependent on your situation. For drums, I've

recorded with just 2 mics and I've recorded with 18 mics. It depends entirely on the sound

you are going for. This will be discussed in greater detail in Killer Home Recording: Drums.

Most people recording drums are going to use 8 inputs. Kick, snare top, overhead left,

overhead right, tom1, tom2, tom 3, and room. More advanced tracking such as recording the

snare bottom, using multiple mics on the kick drum, or using multiple room mics could add

tremendously to the number of channels used.

Live studio recording often requires a hefty number of inputs. The most I've ever used was

20. After the drums are miked up and you throw in the bass, electric guitars, and vocals, you

are easily pushing 14 tracks. If more complicated miking schemes are used on any of these

instruments, more inputs will be necessary. In my experience, few bands do their recordings

entirely live. There will usually be some overdubs.

123

Hardware Synths

For people using multiple hardware synths without a mixer, it's a good idea to get a stereo

pair of inputs for every synth you have. This allows you to route MIDI from your recording

software to your synths and then route the audio back into your recording software. Those

using virtual instruments will have no need for this.

Hardware Gear

People who have hardware gear can still use these units in conjunction with most recording

software. For example, let's say you want to use a hardware compressor on a lead vocal

track. Most of the high end recording software will allow you to create an “external bus”,

however, you will still need to route that signal from the compressor back into your DAW.

For users who won’t be recording live drums, using numerous hardware synths, or mixing

with analog gear there is no point to getting an interface with an enormous amount of inputs.

A two input interface will be plenty for many home recording enthusiasts. The miracle of

multi-tracking allows you to record everything separately, overdubbing as many tracks as your

computer can handle.

*Note: Some audio interfaces have digital inputs which can allow you to record even more

tracks at the same time. We'll discuss digital inputs down below.

Preamps

Every microphone requires a preamp. A preamp is

a volume knob that allows you to boost the signal

from the microphone up to “line-level” so that other

gear can use it. This other gear includes

124This Presonus audio interface comes included with preamps.

compressors, A/D converters, etc. Again, a preamp is required for each microphone you plan

on recording simultaneously.

If you already have enough preamps, (like the trim knob on a mixer or external preamps) you

may be able to save money by purchasing an audio interface with zero built in preamps. If

you do not have preamps, you may consider purchasing an audio interface that comes with

your required number of preamps. It's always a good idea to have the same number of

preamps as analog inputs. An 8 input audio interface doesn't do you much good if you only

have 2 preamps.

Hi-Z Inputs

Direct guitar recording has become quite popular. One way to liven up direct guitar

recordings is through high impedance guitar inputs. Hi-Z (high impedance) inputs will help

make your guitar sound more alive and natural. Hi-Z inputs aren't really “enhancing” the tone.

They are just providing you an input with an impedance that is designed to be similar to that

of guitar pedals and amps. By optimizing the impedance, more of the guitar's natural tone is

captured. In other words, plugging a guitar into a standard low impedance input sounds like

crap. Plugging a guitar into a high impedance input sounds much like you would get through

a real amp. You can hear this in Killer Home Recording: Electric Guitar.

MIDI Inputs

This is the standard connection found on

conventional MIDI gear. The advent of a USB MIDI

connection has reduced the need for these cables.

If you plan on using a MIDI controller that still uses

this connection you will need to purchase an audio

interface that comes with a MIDI input or purchase a

separate MIDI interface.

125

Here's your standard MIDI connector.

Connection

An audio interface must hook up to your computer in some way. There are 4 main methods.

There is no wrong or right here, only what works best for your needs. The connection type

has no direct correlation with the sound of an audio interface.

PCI

PCI is a card that plugs directly into your computer's

motherboard just like a network card. PCI cards

have been around for a long time and are usually

very reliable. They are capable of recording many

tracks and usually do so with low latency. PCI

connections are less expensive primarily because of

their lack of portability. A PCI interface cannot be

used with a laptop. If you have no intention of

taking your rig out of your studio, this interface is usually the most economical way of

recording a large number of inputs at high quality.

126

The M-Audio Audiophile 2496 is an example of a PCI audio interface

USB 1.1

A USB 1.1 audio interface is an older style and are

typically inexpensive. USB 1.1 has a little higher

latency and is limited to two tracks in and out

(although a few manufacturers have managed to

squeeze four simultaneous inputs into these

things). If you are on an extreme budget, and don't

need to record more than 2 inputs at the same

time, this is not a bad way to go. USB 1.1 is

portable and will work with desktops and laptops. If

you are using direct monitoring, you may be

happier going with a connection type that has a

lower latency.

USB 2.0

USB 2.0 is a much faster format than USB 1.1.

While USB 2.0 uses the same jack as it's

predecessor, it performs with lower latency. USB

2.0 allows for very high track counts and laptop

portability.

127

If this USB 2.0 image looks SLIGHTLY similar to the USB 1.1 it's for good reason. There is no visible way to discern a USB 1.1 and a USB 2.0 jack.

Here's the USB 1.1 Connection that you've surely seen if you've used a computer this decade. The inventor even has his own Intel commercial.

Firewire

Firewire is similar to USB 2.0 in terms of speed,

high track counts, low latency, and portability.

Firewire appears to be the most popular audio

interface connection method these days by both the

manufacturers and the consumers.

Software

Many audio interfaces come bundled with recording software. Usually these are the “LE” or

“Light” versions, but they are powerful enough to get a feel for the software and get your

audio interface up and working. In fact, some guys never bother upgrading from these “Light”

packages.

These LE versions of the software may not meet all your requirements in the long run, but

they are of considerable value! In fact, by choosing the correct bundled software, you may be

able to save enough money to more than pay for your audio interface. Let me explain:

Robo Money Saving Trick

The LE versions of software are designed to suck you in with a “teaser”. They want you to

buy the full blown version, which is often expensive. As of this writing, Cubase 4 costs $800

at Musician's Friend. However, practically every software manufacturer is willing to give you a

break for upgrading directly through the manufacturer. Recently, Steinberg had a deal where

you could upgrade for half the price found at Musician's Friend. The $400 Cubase 4 Studio

was only $199 and the full blown Cubase 4 was $399. It's cheaper to buy the interface and

upgrade than it is to purchase the software on its own!

128

Here's a Firewire (IE 1394) jack.

Digital Inputs

You can supplement the number of analog inputs in your audio interface with digital inputs if

your particular audio interface supports any of the various digital input formats. Listed below

are the 3 main digital formats. With digital inputs, you are on your own in regard to preamps

and AD conversion. You'll have to buy additional gear for that. (Only about a million of us got

screwed on that deal!)

After the signal has been converted to digital it can then be sent to your audio interface to

increase your total number of inputs. I repeat. Your digital inputs are useless on your audio

interface until you purchase external hardware (converters and preamps) to feed a digital

signal into them.

S/PDIF

S/PDIF is probably the most popular form of adding

inputs to an audio interface. S/PDIF is limited to just

two inputs so you are not going to gain many inputs

with this format. S/PDIF is typically supported to

allow the input of a higher quality AD Converter. I

use S/PDIF to send a digital audio signal from my

Mytek AD96 to my Presonus Firestudio audio

interface.

ADAT Lightpipe

ADAT Lightpipe can deliver up to 8 audio channels

per input. Some audio interfaces allow for multiple

Lightpipe inputs. You'll find many 8 channel

interfaces on the market that allow you to connect a

single ADAT Lightpipe cable to instantly add 8 more

channels of simultaneous inputs. I use an M-Audio

Octane to send 8 channels of digital signal to my

Presonus Firestudio.

129

S/PDIF cables are the same as RCA cables used on DVD players and such.

Here are some fancy looking versions of the ADAT Lightpipe cable.

AES

AES is typically used on more high end systems.

You are less likely to deal with AES in home

recording land, but MOTU and a few other

manufacturers often include it.

AES generally uses an XLR cable to pass a digital

signal. This means it works much the same as

analog in that only one digital signal can flow

through a standard XLR cable. This, however, can

be a hair confusing because with AES you often see DB25 connectors used to create a snake

that can house multiple channels. These resemble a printer cable from the 1990s.

Multiple Monitor Mixes

Some audio interfaces allow you to setup multiple monitor mixes. This is handy if your

drummer wants a different mix than the guitar player (in a live recording setting). This is

usually a bigger deal for recording bands than recording yourself as a solo artist. Many of the

upper end audio interfaces have a “DSP routing matrix” which in English basically mean you

have absurd routing possibilities. Any combination of inputs can be routed to any output. You

may not see the point in this now, but my DSP routing thingy has made life dramatically easier

for me.

For example, I use the S/PDIF outputs on my audio interface to go to an external Digital to

Analog converter which feeds my studio monitors. I also send this signal to my headphone

amplifier so the singer can hear what he or she is doing. Using the DSP routing matrix, I

simply assign the same “mix” to the S/PDIF outputs and outputs 1 and 2 on my audio

interface. Just for the hell of it, lets assume that the band was making a documentary and

wanted an audio feed. I could assign the same mix to outputs 3 and 4 and run that to their

video camera.

130

As you can see here AES cables use XLR cables.

There are a zillion other possibilities. Most of the time, I don't need to use anything special

with my DSP routing matrix, but when I do it's very nice to have it.

Mac, PC, or Both

This one is fairly straightforward. There are audio interfaces that can work with just Windows,

just Mac, or both Windows and Mac. If you use both types of computers, it may be in your

interest to purchase an audio interface that can work with both.

Bus Powered

If you plan to do your composing or recording on the beach, out in the woods, or some other

postcard caliber location, you may want to look into picking up a bus powered audio interface.

They receive their electricity via a USB or 6-pin Firewire jack. (Only 4-pins are required for

standard Firewire operation, but the other two pins provide the power).

Home Recording Soundcard Wizard

After running my recording forum at RecordingReview.com for about a year, I became tired of

being asked “What's the best soundcard for me?”. It's not that I mind helping people, there

were just too many “if this, than that” type of situations.

So, I read a few tutorials on PHP programming and made the Home Recording Soundcard

Wizard. What used to take 10 days can now be completed in 10 minutes.

http://www.recordingreview.com/soundcard/soundcard_wizard.php

Q Which audio interface sounds the best?:

A: I'm of the opinion that all audio interfaces in the same price range will sound pretty much

the same. There are no audio interfaces that stand out as being an incredibly great value.

131

When I switched from M-Audio Delta 1010 audio interfaces to the Presonus Firestudio

(because I needed portability) I noticed no obvious difference in sound quality. To take it even

further, the difference in sound quality between my M-Audio Delta 1010s, my Presonus

Firestudio, and my mega expensive Mytek AD96 converters was very subtle. I can hear a

difference, but none of my clients seem to care.

Don't believe me? Take a listen! This is illustrated in numerous Interrogations in Killer Home

Recording.

I wish I could tell you that after listening to zillions of mixes on "Bash This Recording" at

RecordingReview.com I've noticed that X audio interface seems to always sound better or

even sound better most of the time. The truth is I have absolutely no idea which audio

interface a person is using when I hear the finished mix. If you are looking for an absolute

leader, think again. The human factor is essentially everything in regard to sound and the

difference between similarly priced gear is essentially non-existent in almost all cases.

So when it comes to selecting an audio interface I wouldn't put too much stock into sound

quality. They all sound good. Instead, focus on getting the features you need, reliability, and

compatibility with your system.

Q Do I need a soundcard and an audio interface?:

A soundcard and an audio interface are the exact same thing. Some people believe that an

audio interface is an external box (breakout box) and a soundcard is something inside the

computer, but the truth is they both perform the same function. It's become very popular to

use breakout boxes, but there are definitely high quality, low latency audio interfaces that fit

nicely inside the computer.

Generally speaking, a soundcard refers to just about any device capable of sending audio

signal to and from the computer while an audio interface is more specifically geared to the

132

needs of home recording with low-latency and such.

Q I want to record my entire band live. How do I:

add more inputs?

A: First of all, see the digital inputs section above. If your audio interface has ADAT Lightpipe

inputs, you can purchase a simple 8-channel preamp A/D converter that will allow you to add

8 inputs instantly to your audio interface. External preamp / converters with S/PDIF will give

you 2 extra inputs.

If your audio interface does not support a large number of digital inputs, you can always hook

multiple soundcards together. I read today in my recording forum of a person who had

hooked 3 Presonus Firepods together for a total of 24 analog inputs. I've linked 2 M-Audio

Delta 1010s together with an extra 2 channels to each via S/PDIF for a total of 20 inputs.

Currently, I use one Presonus Firestudio, with 2 extra channels via S/PDIF and 8 extra

channels via ADAT from my M-Audio Octane. This gives me a total of 18 inputs. I can add

an additional ADAT device for another 8 inputs.

In some cases, it may be less expensive to buy another audio interface than it would to

purchase the additional preamps and converters. It is highly recommended that if you are

going to use multiple audio interfaces simultaneously that you use the same brand and

model. It'll make your life much simpler when you are dealing with drivers and computer

issues. The one downside to using multiple audio interfaces could be the DSP monitor matrix

(if applicable) not working the way you expect it to. Make sure to research that one first. This

is the main reason I went with the ADAT Lightpipe method.

Q Why does my audio interface only have 8 inputs:

even though it advertises much more?

A: I've always considered this a semi-dirty trick. The audio interface manufacturers realize

133

that bigger is better. It sounds better to get the X26 than it does to get the X8. The

manufacturers are adding the digital inputs and analog inputs to come up with this number.

If an audio interface claims to have 26 inputs, it probably has 8 analog inputs, 2 ADAT

Lightpipe inputs (for a possible 16 channels), and then a S/PDIF connection for an additional

2 inputs.

I've always felt this is misleading because a person who doesn't know any better may assume

they are getting more usable inputs and factors that into the price when choosing one audio

interface over another. As mentioned previously, it isn't always cheaper to simply add an 8

channel preamp / A/D converter. Sometimes it's cheaper to purchase an entire audio

interface.

So, it's always better to do your homework and make sure you are selecting the right gear for

your needs. You can read my rants on this issue on the Home Recording Blog at

RecordingReview.com. Search for “Fraud and Idiotic Audio Interface Descriptions”.

Are the preamps in an audio interface as good as

the preamps in a mixer?

For a person just getting started in home recording, I think there are a billion other factors that

are more important than preamps but if you really want to see for yourself, check out all the

preamp Interrogations in the other Killer Home Recording systems . Generally speaking, the

preamps found in an audio interface are very comparable to preamps found in mixers in the

under $1,000 category. They usually don't provide extreme amounts of gain and they often

do get a little noisy when you drive them extra hard.

Is Firewire better than USB 2.0?

Based on the number of users of each I deal with on the forum, I would say they are both

134

adequate for home recording. In almost every situation, it comes down to the quality of the

drivers associated with the interface that determine the reliability of the connection.

The tech guys lean in favor of Firewire, but I swear I've heard great sounding recordings via

USB 2.0.

Before You Buy

Before purchasing an audio interface, always perform a detailed search of the manufacturer's

website and/or Google to determine their issues with specific chipsets!

I'm not aware of any interface that doesn't have major problems with at least one chipset.

Every connection type requires a chipset to function and audio interfaces don't play well with

the wrong chipsets. I can't stress how important this is. It's so important that when I build

custom recording computers I always force the client to purchase the audio interface first so

that I can select my computer components.

These chipsets can be found on a motherboard, features built into the motherboard (USB,

USB 2.0, Firewire, etc), or external PCI and PCIe cards.

Have I scared the hell out of you? If so, that may be a good thing. We'll get into this concept

of the chipset more later. We'll get more into what a chipset actually is, how to find out what

chipsets your computer has, and hopefully calm your fears a bit.

Mixers bundled with audio interfaces

In the past few years, there have been an explosion of audio interface / mixer bundles. It

seems that just about every mixer manufacturer is including USB, USB 2.0, or Firewire

outputs in their mixers. For anyone in the market for both a mixer (presumably for live use)

and an audio interface, it's very possible to save a few bucks going this route. However, there

are a few things you should know before you jump in with an audio interface / mixer bundle.

135

Pitfalls:

Do you really need a mixer?

For studio use, only a tiny minority of people will get any benefit from a mixer. This is

discussed in "Do I Need A Mixer For Home Recording?"

While having a mixer on a desk does look more like a conventional studio, it's an

unnecessary link in the chain. In most cases, an audio interface is all you need. Scan over

"Audio Interface Features" and make a note of all that you require and compare that with any

mixer / audio interface bundles you may be looking at.

How many inputs?

Make sure you research mixer / audio interface bundles thoroughly as they are known for

being masters in the guessing game when it comes to their I/O connectivity. It's often a

mystery whether the mixer has a stereo output or separate outputs for every channel. You

wouldn't be the first person to assume wrongly that a 16 channel mixer would allow you to

record 16 independent tracks. Shipping prices are high and RMA numbers are annoying to

obtain.

Q I was thinking of getting X audio interface but: ,

just a few hours ago I read someone had a

problem with it. Should I get something else?

A: You will never find an audio interface that has had zero problems. They don't make one.

This is no different from cars, TVs, or neck ties. The important thing is to figure out why a

person had problems. Was the unit simply unreliable? Was there a hardware conflict? (Which

I consider to be the fault of the user for not doing adequate research.) Was there a software

conflict? Was the user using a dirty operating system? (We'll get into this “dirty operating

system” business in Eliminate The Dirty Operating System in Computer Performance

Optimization)

If you know why the interface had problems you can better address whether the problem was

136

the user or the product itself. I know this complicates things considerably, but 95% of all

audio interface problems stem from systems that are not setup properly or what I call "user

error". So take this in mind when you read about a single person who has problems with X

audio interface.

In the end, you are looking for a series of patterns in reviews. Hopefully, you won't have any

trouble reading more reviews than you can stand. Then you'll have a much greater idea of

the quality of the product.

137

Recording Software

When it comes down to it, there is no piece of equipment you will spend more time using

other than your recording software. If you're mixing "in the box", (not using an external mixer)

pretty much everything will be self-contained in your recording software. Because your

recording software is such an integral part of your workflow, it's important that you drive

yourself crazy choosing the right one...right? Maybe not, lets find out.

Placing Too Much Stock In Recording Software

I don't get it. Just ten years ago (as of this writing) 99% of major label albums were recorded

on analog tape. With analog tape, you have functions like: play, rewind, fast forward, record,

and arm (so that track will record when you hit the record button). That was it. If you wanted

to move a chorus from one section to another, it involved the razor blade. I know for sure that

I would feel a little more inclined to just record the dumb song the way I wanted it than to pull

out my sharpening stone.

Fast forward a decade and now people get into heated fights about Pro Tools this and

Cubase that. Logic is the best. No, Sonar is the best. Bla, bla, bla, I think there is this arms

race to acquire the "best" software and it has very little to do with actually making music.

Don't ask me how recording software turned into a manhood length contest. It certainly has!

Every recording program I've ever seen has the ability to play, rewind, fast forward, record,

and arm. Kids who write recording software in their basement have those features

conquered! So it is no surprise that real recording software made by professionals has all the

features required to make your favorite albums of all time (at least from back in the analog

tape era). Dark Side of the Moon was made with play, record, and rewind! So if your needs

are relatively simple, just pick something!

138

Note: I am not saying you shouldn't put any thought into your recording software. I am

saying that it's hard to make a bad decision when selecting one. Again, Dark Side of the

Moon was made with play, record, and rewind! Then again, so were the Bananarama

albums.

Recording Software All Sounds The Same

Some beginners choose to believe that one program sounds better than another. While it's

possible that some mixing algorithm is 0.000001% different than another (the calculations

necessary to combine audio tracks when doing the final mixdown), these differences are

excruciatingly tiny when compared to the big picture. I'm going to go out on a limb and say

there is no appreciable difference, especially for anyone just getting started.

If you expect the software to have a direct impact on the sound of your recording, think again.

An $800 program or even a $2,000 program is not going to sound any better than a $300

program or even a free program. An expensive recording program should allow you to do

more stuff and that's it!

No Bad Recording Software

I've never encountered recording software that I'd consider bad. There is software with better

features (which you may or may not use), or that may look prettier (which means ZERO to

me!) but in the end even really cheap stuff is very solid. With that said, I probably wouldn't

recommend you purchase your recording software from the same place you purchase socks

or flat screen TVs.

There are certain things that are easier with “better” programs. For example, I started with

Sonic Foundry Vegas and recorded well over 500 songs with it. Vegas was not known for

being exceptionally good recording software, but it certainly worked. It was like a tape

machine for me.

139

Let's say I had 10 tracks on the drums and we needed dead silence during a break down. In

Vegas I had to cut this silent chunk out of each and every track individually. This wasn't really

a huge deal but when I switched to Cubase, I tossed all the drums in a “folder” track and just

cut the single folder one time. I performed the same task in 1/10th the time. This isn't going to

make the recording sound any better, but it did save time, effort, and energy.

I would say that Cubase is quite a bit more efficient, but I certainly can't say that Vegas was

bad. A recording rig is only “bad” when you require the ability to do something and you simply

cannot do it. I do think there are programs that make the music making process easier these

days.

Powerful Recording Software

I'll mention the term “powerful recording software” from time to time. I'm referring to software

that is designed to handle any situation with maximum efficiency and effectiveness. Software

that makes your life easier allowing you to focus more on music and less on mundane tasks.

Powerful recording software has features that you will probably never use. This is a good

thing because it means that anytime you encounter a tricky situation, you can handle it.

Off the top of my head, the MIDI sequencer in Cubase has a “logical editor” which allows me

to randomize velocities (the intensity in which a note is struck), or slightly randomize the

timing of notes struck to give them a less robotic feel. This is a fairly advanced feature that

you won't find in non-powerful recording software.

Will you need it? Who knows. Personally, I'm recording folk music one day, death metal the

next, and then programming MIDI orchestrations after that, so it's extremely important to me

that the software I use is designed to handle any situation I can throw at it.

Some people avoid powerful recordings software because of the learning curve. In the

example above, yes, I did have to learn what a “folder track” was and how to use it. It did

140

take about 4 seconds to master. The very first time I cut silence on drum tracks, the feature

paid for itself (in terms of time it took to learn it). I think it's safe to say there are several

hundred features in Cubase that dramatically improve the workflow in my studio compared to

what I started out with.

Don't look at the powerful recording brands out there as intimidating. Look at them as being

helpful. The good stuff has made concessions to handle just about any task and problem you

can toss at it. Be glad that such possibilities exist!

Powerful Recording Software Examples

I consider all of these to be powerful recording software programs. They are mature, have

been well thought out, and it's safe to say they will be around for quite a while.

A: Just to name a few:

• Cubase

• Logic

• Pro Tools

• Digital Performer

• Sonar

The Recording Software Commitment

When you decide that you are going to go with X or Y brand of recording software you must

be in it for the long haul. If you just want to record one song, one time, don't bother going with

a powerful piece of recording software. It won't be worth your time to learn the specific

“system” of that software. However, if you plan on making music for the long haul, it's way,

way, way better to go ahead and jump in with what you plan on sticking with.

I personally hate wasting the time learning a new piece of software unless there are huge

gains for me. I could never understand the people that like to brag on the recording forum

141

about how they have used eight different recording programs. That never made any sense to

me. The gains from thoroughly learning a killer recording software program inside and out

are exponentially greater than scratching the surface with many programs.

Keep in mind that you don't have to go with the big boy robo software right out of the gate.

Few people do and even fewer actually require the big boy stuff. I recommend you pick a

“system” and work your way up. Moving up from Cubase LE to Cubase 4 Studio to Cubase 4

is a logical, intuitive upgrade. Time spent learning Cubase LE is not a waste of time unless

you plan to switch to an entirely different platform. Many platforms allow you to work your

way up in a similar fashion.

Going back to this commitment idea, if a program is “mature” and the company has been

doing this for decades, they probably have a system or method in place to handle anything

you would ever need to do. Once you have committed to X software it's simply a matter of

learning how to perform the required task.

While the general method of working in recording software is pretty much the same across

the board, the little things can be quite a bit different. Maybe they crammed the EQ plugin in

each channel strip window. Maybe you have to click an extra button to open the EQ. That

kind of stuff is the only real difference. In the end, there are probably going to be those who

like the way that Logic handles their windows and there are going to be those who prefer the

little Cubase windows. This is known as the “user interface”. This is irrelevant as long as the

workflow does not trigger your serial killer switch. In other words, as long as the method Mr.

Software company has employed doesn't get in the way of your noisemaking, who cares!

I believe it's the job of the software company to make sure their programs are easy to use in

the heat of battle. I rely on them to give me the most efficient system possible. As long as I

don't feel that my ruckus time is held back, I don't think about it. There are people who make

the claim that one is way better than another. It doesn't make sense to me to try them all.

Maybe test driving a car takes 10 minutes. Test driving recording software takes 10 days. I

don't have the time!

142

There are definitely software genres out there that have a more intuitive interface and are

easier to jump into than others. Recording software is not one of these genres. I don't care

what anyone says, powerful programs are seldom intuitive right off the bat.

Use Paint (bundled with Windows) your whole life and then jump into Photoshop. Photoshop

is a nightmare when you first jump in. It's not that Photoshop is necessarily complicated.

Photoshop simply has specific way of handling tasks (whether they are very simple or way

over my head). Once you learn the Photoshop system, you quickly realize why it is such an

outrageously powerful and popular graphics program. Removing a background from a picture

in Paint may take 4 hours. The same task can be done in Photoshop in literally 4 seconds.

It's worth taking the time to learn a high end software system!

I feel that recording software is the same way. So if jumping into a new recording program

frustrates you, join the crowd! Just make sure you aren't complaining because your high end

recording software doesn't function like paint!

Q: Isn't The Recording Software Commitment Risky?

A: So you are worried about jumping in face first with one recording software and then not

liking it. I think you shouldn't have any worries. If you go with a powerful recording software

platform, you will like it when you get the hang of it. I'm confident. There is a reason that I'm

calling this level of recording software “powerful”. It's good!

I think the greatest risk of all is halfway learning 3 or 4 recording programs and at the end of

the year have no music to show for it. You could end up not being proficient at any of the

programs. This would be a total waste of time.

If no one before you had ever used the recording software in question I'd say you may be

taking a risk. You don't have to worry about being the guinea pig. Millions of people use the

143

big, powerful recording software. It's already been done.

Since I don't see people running from Sonar with their arms flopping in the air and their guts

falling out while screaming bloody murder, I think it's safe to say that Sonar is an effective tool

for recording music even though I've never used it. Somebody is using the thing and liking it!

The sooner you get to the audio engineering side of the fence, the sooner you'll be cranking

out great recordings of great music. Remember that the learning curve for recording never

really stops. I've been doing this years and years and I still find audio engineering to be very,

very, very challenging. A person can take it as far as they'd like.

Because there is so much to learn and because powerful recording software is so well

thought out, I don't think you can go wrong. All the recording software programs I've

mentioned on are of very high quality and should meet your needs indefinitely. Again, the

biggest risk is wasting too much time being the master of none. We'll all be dead soon! I

figure I have between 1-60 years left. I have to get with it! Make music!

So figure out exactly your needs, ask around on forums stating exactly what you plan to do,

read reviews, and choose a piece of recording software. If you don't feel comfortable going

with a super expensive version yet, that's okay. Go with the middle of the road or even the

“Light” version at first. If you grow out of your recording software, you can always upgrade to

the higher end version. You may be happy with the “Light” version and never need an

upgrade. This is fine too.

There is some old proverb that says "any decision is better than indecision". Just jump in.

You'll figure it out.

Q I plan on using crappy software now but: ,

upgrading later. Is this a good idea?

A: This depends on how you define “crappy”. I highly recommend you select recording

144

software that you can grow with. Instead of going with el cheapo recording software from a

place that sells dramatically overpriced TV cables, it may be best to go with the “light” version

of something the big boys are using.

There are some very inexpensive programs out there that are getting better and better

reviews all of the time. While I would still rather start out on X Software's awesome “light”

version, some of these free online solutions look very tempting for people on a budget.

If budget is a robo issue, check out the free software out there. If you don't have any money

yet, start somewhere.

Q: Is Pro Tools The Industry Standard?

A: This depends. What is the industry? If you are in the industry where you record Jay Z's

vocals in New York and then fly out to LA to mix on an SSL console, and then catch a flight to

Dallas to catch Three Doors Down on tour so you can do a few quick overdubs before

heading back to San Francisco to mix another song, then yes, Pro Tools is the “industry

standard”. There is no doubt about it. The guys who fly to their recording gigs rely on the

studio they are working in to have Pro Tools. You can pretty much guarantee it with rare

exception.

A Pro Tools HD rig usually costs about what a brand new Honda Accord will. It's usually

placed in a control room that can fit a Honda Accord without too much trouble as well. The

ceilings are usually tall enough to stack several Honda Accords on top of each other. You get

the idea. Big boy studios are obviously not home recording studios (duh!) and they have

dramatically more uses for the popular Honda product.

Pro Tools was first in big boy land and by the time the computer recording thing exploded, Pro

Tools had a firm grasp on the high end recording market. Anyone who wanted to interface

with a big boy studio could bet that Pro Tools was going to be used at that studio. It doesn't

mean that your music will turn out any better on Pro Tools than it would on any other

145

recording system. It's actually not uncommon for major label releases to be done in Logic,

Cubase / Nuendo, and just about any other major recording software as well, but the odds of

any given studio using any of these is fairly small.

If “industry standard” means guys who make killer recordings in rooms that could easily turn

into a baby's bedroom, I think it would be tough to call Pro Tools the industry standard. I'd call

it a “major player” in the home recording game. The playing field is leveled in home recording

land. All the major players in the home recording software game have large user bases.

At home, the need to interface with other recording studios is greatly diminished. I've never

opened a session in another studio with tracks I had recorded at home. I have gone to other

studios (some of them Pro Tools studios) to track drums and added then exported the tracks

to finish the recordings up at my place. It was clear that it didn't really matter what I was

using.

After recording over one thousand songs, I've still not had a need for Pro Tool's #1 selling

point. The point is moot to me. The bandwagon technique is effective, but I can't help but

think it's an insult to your intelligence.

You Pay For Pro Tools

Pro Tools LE is excellent software, but it can get expensive. Digidesign, the makers of Pro

Tools, know that a big chunk of their sales comes from people who want to interface with the

big boys (or simply use what the big boys are using). They have used this to their advantage.

They often charge very high prices for what appear to be fairly simple feature upgrades. For

example, the OMF Export function which allows you to open a session tracked in Pro Tools in

another recording program costs $500. Pro Tools LE has a number of upgrades that you will

pay dearly for.

Cubase SX3, my software of choice at this time, only cost me $400 (as an upgrade), has the

OMF export built in, and (from what I hear) has a much better MIDI sequencer. It has all the

146

functionality that would require multiple $500 upgrades if using Pro Tools LE. This isn't a

factor if you don't need these features, but in the event that you do, you will be paying dearly

for them.

Personally, I'm convinced that the only real reason to go with a Pro Tools system is for the

need to walk into another studio and immediately fire up a session you were working on at

home or a different studio. Aside from that, there isn't any reason to think of Pro Tools as

being “superior”.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Pro Tools. Pro Tools HD is the most popular recording

platform for major label recordings and I'd like to think that the big boy recording people aren't

totally brain dead zombies. They use Pro Tools HD for a reason, and I'm sure most of this

incredible software will spill down into Pro Tools LE. I just don't think the reasons that make it

so popular translate to the guy making music at home nearly as often as is implied.

It just seems a bit silly to me to pay more with the only outstanding benefit based on this

notion of “industry standard” that applies to an “industry” that we are not even a part of.

Q What s the best software?: '

A: The best software for you is the lowest priced software that meets all of your needs. No

one can really say what the best software is for you without knowing a whole lot more about

you. While I could recommend high end software that I'm sure will meet your needs, it won't

do you any good to waste a chunk of your budget on features you simply don't need. So what

are your needs? What are you trying to do? Read on.

Features To Look For In Recording Software

Warning! Software Companies and Stupid Definitions

I'm going to do my best to explain all the features to pay attention to when choosing your

147

recording software. Each manufacturer puts their own stupid name on features to make their

product sound more cool than the other guy. It may help them make more money, but it

makes it difficult to explain definitions!

MIDI Sequencer

Even to this day, not all recording applications come with a MIDI sequencer. Even if you don't

think you'll ever deal with synths and samples in this fashion, I highly recommend that you

take a look at recording programs that have MIDI capabilities for 2 reasons:

• Any recording software that has omitted a MIDI sequencer has probably omitted many

other features that you haven't even thought of yet.

• You never know when your needs will change or if your client will have special

demands.

MIDI is more than just techno and rap music. Importing a screwy click track the band created

in Guitar Tab Pro is not something you'd expect, but it's something my clients have requested.

Replacing a snare drum with a sample is an extremely common request in modern music. I

do this with MIDI. Not all MIDI sequencers are created equally. If MIDI is a priority to you,

ask around to find out if the software you are considering has a sequencer that people like.

Unless you are positive that every sound you ever record is going to be coming through a

microphone or line in, a MIDI Sequencer is an extremely useful tool to have.

Limits In Track Counts

Some recording software will limit the number of tracks you can record with. I've seen some

“Light” programs that limited a person to only 8 tracks. In other words, you could record with

4 tracks for drums, 1 track for bass, 2 tracks for guitar, and 1 track for vocal. If you want

background vocals, you'd have to get creative.

148

Most recording programs are going to offer at least 16 tracks. From what I read, Pro Tools LE

is limited to 32 tracks (which should be plenty of tracks a majority of the time for most people).

Some recording programs impose no limit to the number of tracks. I don't make too big of a

deal about this.

In my younger days, I did have some tunes that got up into the 70 track range, but I could

have easily knocked that down to 30 without much trouble. The big track count just allowed

me to put off making a decision.

Limits In Inserts

You may be familiar with the term “inserts” from a mixer. A mixer allows you to “insert” effects

(usually gain based effects such as EQ and compression) on a specific channel. In recording

software, you will have a “virtual mixer” which allows X amount of insert slots for effects that

will be applied to this one specific channel or track. My current recording software limits this

number to 8, which is a fairly high number. This means I could place a compressor, an EQ, a

de-esser, and a distortion plugin on a vocal and still have 4 inserts left.

Limits In Auxiliary Sends

Aux sends allow you to send the signal from a track somewhere else. Common uses are for

time based effects like reverbs or delays but this is also how parallel compression is used.

The more aux sends, the better. My current recording software allows for 8 aux sends per

channel and I can't remember ever coming close to that amount even with my wildest mixes.

Plugin Format

There are multiple plugin formats such as RTAS, VST, Audio Units and Direct X. If your

recording software supports VST plugins you can have access to a huge supply of quality,

free plugins in addition to an enormous array of premium plugins. There doesn't seem to be

any quality difference between the various plugin formats. Most premium plugins come in

multiple packages anyway. In the end there are plenty of plugins for all major plugin formats.

149

Just be aware that specific programs have specific plugin format requirements.

Routing

Unfortunately, it's not exactly easy to compare the routing abilities of various recording

software. For the most part, routing preferences are subjective and you will simply want to

ask around to see if people are happy with the routing options in their recording software.

For very simple, natural forms of music, a mixer may not need advanced routing. But, being

able to send a signal virtually anywhere can be a huge convenience and even a necessity for

some mixing tricks. In general, advanced routing is for more advanced mixing engineers.

However, even if you don't require advanced routing now, you may eventually.

It may not be obvious to you why routing is super important now, but we'll cover that in Killer

Home Recording: Murderous Mixing.

Automation

I love the fact that my weapon of choice can automate practically everything. If I want to turn

an EQ off during the chorus, it's no problem. If I want to ramp up the amount of reverb in the

verse, no problem. Some plugins even allow you to automate individual knobs. For example,

with certain plugins I could “twist” the depth knob throughout the song. Automation

capabilities are not something you will read about on a box even though they are extremely

important to a guy like me. You'll want to ask around.

Support

With any computer system, there are likely to be bugs that appear. The best recording

software manufacturers have active support forums and are quick to respond to your support

issues. One advantage of going with a recording software program that has a large user

base is you can get help from a number of other sources. The less reliance on tech support,

the better! Obviously, the more people who use the program, the easier it will be to get help

with your specific troubles.

150

It's a grim reality that some software companies will go out of business. While I'm all for

helping the little guy make it, if that little guy goes out of business, you will have no support for

your problems. Because of this, the sheer size of a recording software company is often a

positive thing in and of itself.

You should ask around to see how people have been pleased with the support of their

recording software before making a commitment.

It is nice to hang out on a forum where many people use the same recording software. While

RecordingReview.com has users from all walks of software life, I know that I've been able to

help tons of people with Cubase.

Reliability With Your Operating System

When Windows and Mac release new operating systems (it seems like Macs have a new OS

each year), there are bound to be issues with compatibility concerning your recording

software. A killer recording application may work flawlessly on X platform but terribly on Y

platform. You'll have to ask around.

Note: Most people who have problems with their computer and recording software simply

failed to set them up correctly, which I cover in the “Computer Performance Optimization”

chapter (coming up!). It's more than likely that "user error" is causing their lack of success,

so be careful when trusting people who have had reliability problems.

Included Plugins

All recording programs come with stock plugins. In many cases these are useful, but not

always the most exciting. Most people are happiest with premium, 3rd party plugins, which

are easily added to any decent recording software. If budget is tight, you may not want to

sink a bunch of cash into new plugins when you still have tons of other recording things to

blow money on. Of course, the quality of the included plugins is 100% subjective and often

over rated to the beginner.

151

Included Virtual Instruments

Anyone working on MIDI compositions will benefit from using synths and samplers built into

their computer. These are known as “soft synths” or “virtual instruments”. Again, most people

are happiest with premium 3rd party toys but that's not to say that these stock sounds are

garbage: I find quite a few uses for the included virtual instruments. The quality is 100%

subjective to your tastes and preferences but try asking around anyway.

Features You Won t Look For'

You'll never think of all the features you require. The human brain simply does not work that

way. You will never anticipate every little tiny detail. What kind of details?

Here's a perfect example. I once hit the wrong button on my external analog to digital

converter. This sent the wrong Word Clock sample rate. Long story short, my recording

software thought I was dealing with 44.1Khz tracks but I was dealing with 48Khz track and the

pitch was all out of whack.

Well, it turned out that Cubase SX 3 had a built in method to change the internal “label” in

each wav file (called a “header”) to the correct sample rate. I was impressed! Now this is

something you would NEVER think of needing!

I'm not really trying to push Cubase on anyone else even though I have been extremely

happy with it. However, time and time again I have run into various situations (much like my

little sample rate issue) that needed addressing.

The features you aren't looking for are often the features that make or break your experience

with the software. The propaganda they place in magazine ads couldn't be more irrelevant

most of the time. How the software handles when you get your hands dirty is everything. The

only way to really find that out is to ask people who have dirty hands!

152

This sample rate header issue may not seem like a big deal to you. Let me explain how I

solved this problem the last time it occurred back when I was using Sonic Foundry Vegas. I

downloaded a header changer doohickey online. I found the first flawed file. I opened it in

the program. I changed the sample rate header. I saved it. I re-imported. Repeat. It took

about 8 hours to solve the problem.

I think this is an outstanding testament to the Powerful Recording Software section above.

It's also a testament to keep that under-evolved monkey named Brandon Drury away from

your external clock!

Wav Editor vs DAW

I want to point out that there are two main types of recording software: Wav Editors and

DAWs. This entire chapter has been about DAW's which stands for Digital Audio Workstation.

This gets confusing for beginners because in the past, some standalone recorders have been

named “workstations”, and it's often unclear as to whether a person is talking about their

actual computer or their recording software.

A DAW is a multi-track recording software designed to allow the recording, playback, and

mixing of multiple tracks. A Wav Editor, such as Sound Forge or Wavelab, is only capable of

processing a single file. Because of this, I'm always shocked to hear that some beginners list

Sound Forge as their main recording software. How? You can only work with one track at a

time!

Q What do you think about free software?:

A: You may want to revert back to my answer to “What's the Best Recording Software?”. If

you can meet all your needs with a certain piece of gear, that gear is great for you! I've

tinkered with a handful of free programs over the years, but I must admit that I've never really

seriously tried to do anything. It's usually me messing around at a buddy's house.

You get what you pay for most of the time but software can be a different story. Open

153

source / GPL software can be extremely powerful when enough programmers get together to

donate their time to create something special. It happens. So, you never know when a

tremendous piece of Open Source / GPL software is going to come out.

Q Will my recording software work with my audio:

interface?

A: If the software works in Windows, it should also function properly with your windows

compatible audio interface. Audio interface manufacturers and recording software developers

would be out of business if they didn't make compatibility a high priority.

Pro Tools is an exception. It uses a proprietary system that only functions with its own

hardware and software. I recommend you talk to Pro Tools people to get the real story. I've

heard so many conflicting views regarding the use of different hardware with Pro Tools

software or Pro Tools hardware with different software. It's very confusing. Just be aware

that there is a “catch” that does not exist with other audio interfaces and recording software.

(Just another Pro Tools turn off in my opinion.)

So, in short, if your audio interface works with Windows it should have no trouble working with

your recording software.

Note: They are using some gadget inside certain audio interfaces known as Dice II. It has

been known to cause conflicts with certain recording applications. While they may be

working the bugs out of this one, it represented the first time in this era of home recording

where an audio interface and a recording application where not compatible.

You Don t Need Mp3 Conversion In Your Recording'

Software

For whatever reason, recording software companies like to place limitations on the number of

mp3 files you can render with your software. This means that it's no big deal for you to export

154

your mix to a single stereo wav file all day long, but mp3s are a different story. I've seen

some people panic over this one. Well don't!

There is no need to run and panic because there are great free wav to mp3 converters out

there. I use Razorlame. It's a very simple program, just drag all the files you want to convert

into the box, adjust the settings, and press “Encode”. I love it because I can convert an entire

album at one time. I hate wasting time converting one track at a time after I've spent hours

mixing each song.

So You ve Just About Given Up On X Recording'

Software?

I've encountered way too many people who refuse to open the manual for their recording

software and expect to “get it” simply by tinkering. That's a fine concept, but a majority of

these people waste hours of time doing things the hard way.

I've heard way too many of them say “I've just about had it with X recording software. I'm

going to try something else”. While it's certainly possible that they are experiencing reliability

problems, in most cases they never really bothered to learn their recording software in the

first place.

So, before you end your relationship with your DAW, make sure you've actually started one!

Getting Started Tutorial vs Manual:

I think a big reason that so many beginners don't take the time to read their manual is they

think they are about to read a 1,200 page PDF. I know that Cubase has a “Getting Started”

guide which consists of a number of tutorials that teach you specifically what you need to

know in order to use the software. I could get through it in a day. I'd suspect that most

recording software has an equivalent.

155

So before you get immediately intimidated by the daunting task of reading a Bible-sized

manual, you may want to check to see if there are actual tutorials for you to follow.

156

Mac vs PC

The Mac vs PC debate has gone on for what seems like forever. It seems that when the Cold

War ended, everyone decided they needed another ridiculous stalemate to waste their time

and resources fighting. The only difference here is that the excessive hatred for the other

guy's country has been replaced with a hatred for the other guy's computer.

Advantages of Mac

When compared with name brand PCs, a Mac is usually a little better suited for music

recording right out of the box. This is ideal for a person who has absolute no interest in

understanding anything about their computer.

People on a super tight budget have better luck with the stock soundcard in Mac

computers compared to a PC's. However, Mac users seldom fit the “super tight

budget” demographic.

You get to belong to a group. Because of creative marketing, Mac users often feel a

sense of camaraderie that PC users do not. If you are buying a computer because you

need a friend, I would consider therapy first or maybe get a dog.

The Mac has less of a risk of obtaining viruses and spybots. Since Mac has about 4%

of the market, the goons writing the viruses don't bother targeting them. If Mac's

market share increases, you can be sure that some little programming thug will seize

his opportunity.

I'd say that a Mac is slightly more reliable than a well setup PC and quite a bit more

reliable than a trashed PC.

You can have a certain bit of irresponsibility that you simply can't have with a PC in

regard to internet usage. You can let your guard down a bit with a Mac.

Advantages of PCs

Custom built PCs are very powerful and very economical. For many, myself included,

putting a PC together is the most powerful balance of power, quality, performance, and

157

price. For example, I've kept myself on a schedule where I invest $300 in computer

upgrades every 2.5 years.

For equally equipped computers, it's a safe bet that a PC will always be cheaper.

An overwhelming majority of computer users own a PC. This means that getting help

with your problems is dramatically easier.

There are radically more software titles to choose from under the Windows platform.

There is an endless of supply of quality free plugins and virtual instruments available

for the PC.

Getting parts for a PC is no big deal. While the closest Mac hardware dealer is two

hours away, the PC dealer is a 10 minutes drive.

Computer Dependent Gear

The type of computer you choose will have an effect as to which hardware and software you

are able to use. I'm told by my users that some software doesn't run as reliably on a Mac as

it does a PC and vice versa. I'm not sure what causes this. The latest version of Logic is Mac

only. Certain audio interfaces are for Windows and some are designed specifically for Macs.

So just be aware that whoever you ally with in the PC vs Mac war may have an impact on the

gear you choose to record with.

Besides software and hardware compatibility, there aren't any reasons to assume a Mac will

be more powerful than a PC so be wary of the marketing, hype, or myths that tend to go

around. Of course, the same can be flipped. There is no reason to expect a PC to be any

more reliable than a Mac. I consider them equal overall with personal preference being a

bigger issue than general superiority. Go with the computer you prefer.

158

Q Aren t Macs More Reliable Than Windows: '

Computers?

A: Because of the responsibility factor above, I think a person has to be more alert to the

dangers in the PC world. Us robo nerd PC users have a nice opportunity to save some cash.

The rest of the population may have better luck with a Mac.

If all PC users were created equal I don't think there would be much reason to use a Mac over

a PC. The problem is there are drunk drivers behind the mouse of way too many Windows

systems. (This includes the decision makers at Microsoft, Dell, HP, etc). Because of this I do

feel that many PCs get a bad rap based on user error. For whatever reason, coked out Mac

users don't seem to run over as many nuns.

A high end, purpose built recording computer (which may cost a fortune) should be just as

reliable as a Mac especially if your little brother isn't visiting questionable animal websites on

it.

Is there anything magical about Mac? Not even close! There are people who are convinced

that buying a Mac is going to end world hunger, solve our climate change issues, and make

the world a better place. That's a load of crap. Macs have their problems. I see them

constantly. There are entire forums for solving Mac problems.

Q Aren t Macs Better For Recording?: '

A: Absolutely not. The difference between a Mac and a PC is highly overstated these days.

They use the same basic hardware, but have different operating systems. Back in 1991 they

say that Mac had an advantage over PC. I'm not even sure what that was. I was 11. I was

busy smashing bugs or beating the crap out of my brother. Years later, any differences in

computer technologies have settled just as my brother can now stomp me. If you really want

to be stuck in '91, wear your spandex. Don't let me stop you! However, just be aware that

159

the playing field leveled out years ago.

Q Brandon What do you recommend? Mac or PC?: ,

A: It depends on the user. If money is no object Mac people need to think less. I'm not sure if

that makes them more productive or not, but it's a possibility. If money is an object, you can

blow a big ol' wad on a computer and have nothing left for the recording gadgets.

If you follow the guidelines here in Setting Up, there is no reason why a PC that costs a

fraction of the price can't be just as good and just as reliable as a cutting edge Mac. I firmly

believe that. However, the Mac users do get to skip those chapters and move on to topics

that are more fun.

Worst of all, if you buy a Mac you are now in the “Mac User Demographic”. While anyone

who has published in a scientific journal or has an Oscar is exempt, I can't help but see a

correlation between Mac users, people with near-death experiences, and people who did way

too much heroin back in '03.

Sorry dudes/chicks! The above paragraph was in retaliation to those commercials where the

PC guy is a nerd and the Mac guy is relatively normal. I've never seen a stronger insult to

intelligence of the human race in my life. Even Jerry Bruckheimer jumped up and said,

“Come on guys, people aren't this stupid!”.

You Don t Really Record With The Operating System'

I want to make it very clear that after the initial setup, you won't deal with the Operating

System that often. In fact, the only time I deal with Windows XP is when I'm backing up files

or dragging files into a CD burning program. That's it! When I'm recording, I'm using

Cubase . My entire recording experience is joined at the hip with Cubase, and Windows

doesn't even come to mind.

160

The same is true for any real task on a computer. At the moment, I am not typing in

Windows, I'm typing in Open Office Writer. When I develop web pages, I'm using

Dreamweaver, not Windows!

So when you choose a computer system, don't get hung up on ridiculous debates about PC

vs Mac. Spend your time finding the recording software that is best for your needs. It's a

much more important decision. Focus on the ultimate goal: Making great sounding

recordings! Getting caught up in stupid controversial topics is a waste of time, money, and

resources.

Conclusion

A stock Mac is probably superior for home recording to a stock name brand PC at a higher

cost. However, a quick formatting of Windows (or setting up a dual boot system) on a name

brand PC or starting out with a custom built PC in the first place will essentially land you the

same caliber computer for often less money.

I've been able to stock up on quality recording gear because I haven't invested too much

money into any one link of the chain. If I had gone the Mac route, I could only imagine all the

microphones, preamps, plugins, and samples I would not been able to afford. I simply cannot

imagine my rack shrinking. For those people who aren't dealing with the same financial

limitations and own a $10k Neumann U47, I could see the issue of price being a much

smaller concern. In those cases, maybe the added simplicity of the Mac would be worth the

additional cost.

PC Computer Stuff

While this is not a computer book, computers play a dominant role in modern music

recording. I know quite a few members at RecordingReview.com who are experienced at

recording, but have been hesitant to jump into the world of computer recording.

161

Relax.

In this chapter, I hope to knock the edge off of some of the learning curve associated with

recording computers. I don't intend for this chapter to be ultra comprehensive. This is a

RECORDING book!! Maybe I can explain some of this computer junk in plain English. You

could find this information in a billion other places, but wouldn't you rather have a dude who

rocks show you?

I'm calling this “Computer Junk” because I realize that understanding computer guts isn't an

exciting proposition for the average guy/gal looking to make noise at home.

Calm Down!

Most people look at the guts inside their computers and begin to cringe. I guess to a layman,

all those circuits can be quite scary. If we pretend that all those pieces of circuitry are black

boxes (like that of cd players, dvd players, airliners, etc), the computer suddenly gets easier

to deal with. In fact, I'd venture to say that understanding the inside of a computer is fairly

simple when compared to something complex like understanding the female mind or the DVD

remote control. If you can hook up a dvd player to a tv to a home stereo, you can deal with a

computer. It's essentially the same thing. If you can't hook up a dvd player, it's much easier

than you think.

Computer Guts

Motherboard

A motherboard is the main hub to that all components

ultimately dock to. Every component in a computer plugs

straight into the motherboard. It's popular for motherboard

manufacturers to include sound, video, networking, USB,

and Firewire on the motherboard itself to reduce the

162

amount of extra “stuff” you need to buy later on.

This thing looks really complicated doesn't it! A person could go out of their mind if they had

to deal with the deeper level stuff.

This thing isn't that bad at all. It's just ugly. We've got to power it and plug into it the CPU,

RAM, hard drives, and cd-roms. We can plug in any extra stuff we may like such as front

USB ports, but that is optional. So don't let this little wuss get you down. It's just trying to

scare you.

CPU

The CPU is a stupid acronym for the processor. The

processor does all the thinking in the computer and

therefore the faster the processor, the faster the

computer. A fast processor can get bogged down by

other weak links in the chain, but we'll deal with that

mess later on. The better the CPU, the “smarter” the

computer and the faster it can perform tasks.

RAM

RAM is a stupid acronym for memory. I guess we could

call this “short term memory” as it handles everything the

computer is thinking about right now. Any open programs

that are running right now are using up memory. When

you close files in these programs, they will be removed

from RAM. You can kind of think of RAM as everything

you have sitting on your desk right now. Maybe you have

some bills you need to pay, some papers you need to sign, and maybe a DVD you plan on

163

watching tonight. The amount of RAM makes a huge effect on the performance of a

computer. A large quantity of fast RAM and a fast CPU are the two main factors in increasing

performance on a recording computer.

Hard drive

The hard drive is more like your filing cabinet. A hard drive

stores all data and files in your computer. It's more of a

long term storage system. As long as the hard drive

doesn't die, the data on a hard drive is there forever, even

if you turn off your computer. Hard drives offer different

amounts of storage and spin at different speeds.

As of this writing, most hard drives are spinning at 7200rpm. This speed is fine for all but the

most insane of audio recording demands. Laptops and cheapo desktop computers typically

come with a 5400rpm hard drive. This is not sufficient for even moderate audio recording

work. If you are using a laptop, it's recommended to use an external USB 2.0 or Firewire

7200 rpm drive.

CD / DVD Burner

This one is fairly self-explanatory. A DVD burner reads and

burns CDs or DVDs.

164

Video card

A video card allows a computer to display video on a

computer monitor or other video device like a TV. The

performance of the video is affected by the quality of the

design and components within the video card itself. For

recording computers, the demands on the video card are

very low. In fact, I've had my current video card in my

recording computer for six years through three different

major upgrades (if that tells you anything).

Many motherboards come with “integrated video” which simply means the video card comes

built into the motherboard and you don't need an additional video card.

Misc PCI Cards

Motherboards come with auxiliary inputs so that you can add other miscellaneous stuff to

your computer. These kinds of “stuff” include networking cards, Firewire cards, USB 2.0

cards, PCI audio interfaces cards, etc. Again, there is nothing complex about the concept of

PCI cards. If you want to use a PCI card, slide it into the slot and make sure the drivers are

installed. While it takes a tad bit more dexterity to get the PCI card to fit into the slot, the

concept is no different than plugging a lamp into the wall.

Misc PCIe Cards

A new format has emerged that is slowly overtaking the PCI format. It's called PCI Express or

PCIe. It works the same way that PCI cards worked, but with greater performance

possibilities and a slightly different slot.

165

Operating System

The operating system is the software designed to put the whole thing together so you can

actually use all of this hardware. Microsoft Windows is the most popular operating system.

The operating system must contain software that tells each hardware component how to

function. (These are called drivers). Every process or function that takes place within the

computer must go through the operating system in one way or another. 99% of all problems

that occur within a computer are caused by errors in the operating system added by the user

or computer manufacturer. We'll discuss this in the “Properly Setting Up A PC Recording

Computer” section.

Power Supply

You connect the power supply to the motherboard, and you

plug the power supply into the wall out let. I guess you can

figure out that it supplies the electric stuff to the computer.

That's it!

That's all the major components in the computer. Hopefully, when worded like this, the guts

of a computer don't sound so complex. The overall setup is designed to be quite simple. A

computer is designed to be modular. If one component doesn't work, you can simply trade it

out with a component that does.

Recording Computer Demands

If you so choose, recording can use up every ounce of computer power available on even the

fastest of modern recording computers. Then again, people have been using computers for

multi-track recording since the mid 90s when computer power was a tiny fraction of what it is

now. Computers really came into their own in regard to being able to handle multi-track

166

recording fairly well in the early 2000s. Now, it really isn't too big of a deal for a computer to

record 10 or 20 tracks at the same time. However, as you start getting fancy, the demands on

the computer get astronomically greater.

Low Latency Monitoring

I do quite a bit of low latency monitoring these days. Let's assume we are recording a vocal

overdub. I like to run the vocal signal into the computer, into my recording software, use

compression and reverb, blend the signal with the backing music, and then send the signal to

the headphones for the singer to hear.

Because the audio signal has to flow through the computer, the computer must take some

time to process it. This time delay is called “latency”. Because the vocalist definitely does not

want to hear a delay from their real voice to the headphones, the latency must be set so low

(fast) that the singer doesn't notice.

As we set the latency lower, the demand on the computer increases drastically. It makes

sense. We are expecting a computer to work faster. When using low latency monitoring, we

are pushing a computer very hard.

Note: We could completely bypass the computer for monitoring altogether and setup a

headphone using a small mixer or something (but this is not preferred by most of us these

days for a number of reasons which we'll discuss later on). When we no longer require low

latency monitoring (such as during mixing) we can crank up the latency and give the

computer some room to breathe and we'll have quite a bit more computer power at our

disposal.

Samplers

In order to play back a sample in real time, samples must be loaded into RAM. The samples

are already stored on the hard drive, but the hard drive isn't fast enough to instantly react to a

167

key being struck on a MIDI controller or being played back by a sequencer. Because of this,

samples can use an enormous amount of RAM. In fact, when I set my old drum sampler,

DFH Superior, in “mega-quality” mode, I can use up 2GB of RAM with just a single drum kit.

This is a TON of ram just for drum samples! So, if you plan on doing any MIDI sequencing

using samples, you need to go all out on RAM.

Plugins

For the home recorder, plugins are amazing. The ability to buy one compressor plugin and

use it on every single track in a mix is amazing. In the past, plugins were considered

substandard when compared to their high-end hardware counterparts. This is changing.

More and more pro engineers are switching over to plugins for more and more of their mixing

needs because the sound of plugins gets a little bit more exciting each day. Most engineers

who haven't switched over will say that plugins are closer than ever to rivaling the hardware

stuff.

Unfortunately, this comes at a cost. As plugins get better and more musical sounding, they

also use more and more CPU power. While there are some very decent plugins out there

that are very efficient in their plugin usage, to get a noticeable step up in plugin character

often means taking a CPU hit. Because most of us are never satisfied, the home recorder is

always going to require a fast computer to handle the most demanding modern plugins.

Note: I've noticed that most high-end premium plugins tend to be much easier on the CPU

than your typical open source (free) plugins.

High Track Counts

In the end, nothing really puts a huge demand on resources like a high track count. While

recording, wav files are actually fairly light on CPU loads, more tracks means more plugins,

more routing, and more everything! In most modern recording programs, each track in use is

going to use a little bit of RAM and a little bit of CPU power. Of course, if you begin using

168

extremely high track counts, it's possible that you will over-extend your hard drive. This is

especially true in slower, 5400 rpm laptop hard drives.

Note: Even with track counts in the 70s I have never exceeded my hard drive's capabilities

and I'm using ATA 100, 7200 rpm hard drives which were standard grade in the early 2000s,

so there is no reason to panic and dump $10,000 on the hard drives used at NASA or

whatever. The “consumer grade” hard drives conquered this a long time ago.

I've actually found that as I've gotten to be a better engineer that I'm using fewer and fewer

plugins (or maybe using less plugins made me a better engineer?). I get the tones I need

while I'm tracking or we don't track. So, I find that not only am I wasting less time “fixing”

tracks (which never works anyway), I'm using less and less plugins. If you don't use that

many plugins, you can work with very high track counts on a modest recording computer--

food for thought.

Virtual Instruments

Synths have become extremely popular on the computer. The genres of electronic music, hip

hop, and any other music style that typically uses “keyboard” sounds have made a huge

switchover to using synthesizers “in the box” (or from within the computer). Generally

speaking, synths tend to be very CPU intensive. So if you plan on using synths, it is highly

recommended to pick up as much CPU power as you possibly can.

Q Should I update my operating system?:

I can't remember ever updating the operating system on my recording computer. First of all, I

wouldn't know if my operating system needed updating, because I'm not online.* I have no

idea if my operating system even needs updating. Secondly, if my system is running

smoothly, I change nothing. The “if it ain't broke” mentality is definitely what I recommend.

(Maybe it's the Wayne's World, “Change? We fear change!” side of me!) Updating this can

screw up that, and before you know it, you have the snowball effect going out of control.

169

It's my recommendation that you spend your time writing songs and making recordings, not

playing the “latest update contest game”.

If you do encounter a problem, then by all means, consider updating. However, my

experience with updates has been mostly negative in regard to the operating system.

* This actually brings up a great argument for not using internet (not even plugging it in) on

recording computers. Windows automatically tells you when your updates are available by

checking to see what updates you've already installed on your system. What else is the

internet “automatically” doing? On what other demands having nothing to do with audio is my

CPU wasting itself?

Q What Is A Chipset?:

A: Who cares! This isn't an advanced computer nerd book. This is a book that is supposed

to knock the edge off the learning curve of making great recordings. I could tell you what a

chipset really is and give you some kind of robo technical jargon that repels fun faster than

diarrhea. I'd rather take the smash-beer-can-on-forehead approach to computers.

All motherboards, USB 2.0 cards, and Firewire cards have a “thingy” called a chipset made

by a number of various manufacturers. (Texas Instruments, Via, Geforce, etc). All audio

interface manufacturers have a list of “doesn't play well with X chipset” buried deep down in

the darkest caverns of their website. (Even if you look and don't find, it doesn't mean it's not

there. I'm not aware of any audio interface that works perfectly with all chipsets. The list of

incompatibilities for an audio interface tends to be the kind of thing you only find after you've

purchased the audio interface.)

If you were to hook your audio interface into a chipset that wasn't compatible, you'd have a

nightmare on your hands that is only fixed by swapping to a device with the matching chipset.

This isn't a big deal if you only need to pull out a PCI Firewire card and toss in another one.

170

This would take 45 seconds or so, assuming you had a spare PCI Firewire card.

Note: If you don't have a spare PCI Firewire card laying around, you can expect to pay

between $5-20 for one on Newegg.com. You can expect to pay $50 at your local consumer

electronics store. If you don't take this chipset thing seriously when putting together your

recording rig, you will pay for it later.

If the chipset incompatibility is found on the motherboard itself, you have a much bigger

problem. I hope you didn't plan on recording in the next two weeks, because if the audio

interface hates your motherboard chipset, one of them must go. Are you going to totally

rebuild your computer, or are you going to ship back the audio interface?

Finding Your Computer's Chipset

To determine the chipset of your USB 2.0 ports, Firewire ports, or motherboard in general (for

PCI audio interfaces), head here in Windows:

Control Panels > System > Hardware > Device Manager

171

In this case, my Firewire card (IEEE 1394) uses a VIA chipset.

Q Should I Go With AMD or an Intel Processor?:

A: Because technology is constantly dynamic, I hesitate to recommend one over the other in

a book that could be outdated before I even get this stupid thing released. Generally

speaking, I've felt I've gotten more bang for my buck with AMD than with Intel. However, this

does not mean that you will. It also doesn't mean that my next processor I purchase will be

an AMD. In the end, both AMD and Intel make computer processors that are more than

adequate for high-end recording. It comes down to saving a few bucks in most cases.

A person would be best off by shopping around to find out what is available in X price range.

It won't take long to find some computer nerd who posted the results of benchmark testing for

172

the processors you have in question. These graphs should give a fairly clear indication of

how the performance compares from one processor to another. I'd expect performance

results to go hand in hand with price. (The exception to that are the brand new “cutting edge”

processors. They always jack the price up. I love to see a processor that was once $1,500

drop to $150 in a matter of months.)

The bigger issue for me is the motherboard chipset problem. As you may have already read,

I always recommend choosing the audio interface before choosing the computer simply

because of chipset compatibility issues. However, if you decide to switch to a new audio

interface, it's a total guess whether a given chipset will work with your new audio interface.

While Intel does have issues with a few audio interfaces, I've found that Intel chipsets have

been the safest bet for across the board for compatibility with audio interfaces. Now don't get

the wrong idea. It's still a gamble! As I've said, there are still audio interfaces that do not

work well with certain Intel chipsets, but Intel is more likely to be future proof.

In the end, don't get too wrapped up in small computer issues unless it's going to save you

big bucks. There are so many musical and audio engineering things to learn, that a night

debating Intel vs AMD is a night I consider to be wasted. Yup, debating processor companies

is like a night spent watching a Friends marathon. Write a song for Christ's sake!!

Q What if my computer doesn t come with USB 2.0: '

or Firewire?

A: Don't worry! This is an easy problem to solve. For a desktop computer, you simply need to

purchase a PCI Firewire or USB 2.0 card. When I ordered my Presonus Firestudio, it turned

out that my previous Firewire card was the wrong chipset (Do as I say, not as I do!). I made a

trip to the local consumer electronics store. They wanted $50 for the card. I ordered a

Firewire card for $6. It works fine! As long as you have the PCI slots available (just about

everyone does) you won't have to worry about compatibility issues with your computer.

For laptops, the PCI slot isn't available, but you can purchase a PCMCIA card to add Firewire

173

or USB 2.0 capability.

I recommend purchasing your computer components here.

Note: Firewire is the same thing as IE 1394.

Quad Core Computer Power

I was at my mom's house. I was in the library (you know the room with the bathtub), and I

looked in my old hiding places for literature (Not dirty magazines, you nasty people!). I found

an issue of Electronic Musician from 2003. I flipped through it. The big thing that shocked

me was that the role of the recording computer had not changed all that much in six years.

While there have been breakthroughs and improvements – particularly on the audio interface

features side of the fence – I really can't say that we are doing anything all that different now

than we did then.

Back in 2003, we were recording audio and sequencing. We had compressors, EQ, reverb,

delay, chorus, and just about every other effect from the hardware world, including even a few

that weren't possible in the hardware world. We had more synths and samples than a person

in 1996 would have known what to do with. In the right hands, a computer recording rig (even

running at 1/20th speed of today’s computers) was capable of devastating recordings.

We've seen other dramatic improvements in three notable areas:

• guitar amp emulation

• plugin sound quality

• samples

Guitar amp emulators have gone from being flat out useless to making a guy like me wonder

how long his amp collection is going to be worth anything. The compressor and EQ plugins in

2003 got the job done, but few had any real character to speak of. That's all changed.

Samples have improved immensely, particularly in the realm of realistic drum samples. All of

these use quite a bit more horsepower in the ol' overgrown calculator box than was necessary

174

in 2003, but it's not like we are running climate models or rendering the latest “Industrial Light

and Magic” effects.

I feel comfortable in saying that Quad Core computers have conquered audio recording. The

Quad Core processors are the first to allow a person doing some fairly wild stuff to sit down

and add plugin after plugin, and sample after sample, without a care in the world. (Previously,

you could do pretty much anything you wanted, but you always had to worry about your CPU

reserves, and sometimes, just one or two instances of a guitar amp emulator would leave you

out of gas.) These days, a person would have to be using an idiotic amount of plugins and

samples to overload Quad Core computers. (Some genres call for an idiotic number of

plugins.)

While there will be incremental improvements in sound quality and various recording

computer software gadgetry, the truth is that the computer world can do pretty much

everything the hardware world can do right now. It's safe to say these incremental

improvements will also utilize more and more CPU power as time goes on. However, for

there to be a major technological breakthrough requiring 5x the processing capabilities of that

of the Quad Core computers, it's going to require some kind of revolution that really doesn’t

exist in the hardware recording world. It's going to have to be something new, and something

that most of us cannot even fathom at this point: Maybe recording software that reads our

brain waves or involves time travel. For everything else, Quad Core computers have it

conquered.

There is one possible exception to my little theory. If Microsoft, and maybe Mac, decides that

their operating systems need to exponentially hog more CPU power in upcoming releases,

that could throw a wrench into our campfire. (Isn't there a saying about throwing a wrench

somewhere? Oh well.)

So, this is my long way of saying that until we need cloaking devices to record music, I think

Quad Core computers pretty much conquered home recording land!

175

Keeping A Recording Computer Quiet

Computers make noise. It's a part of life. I've recorded some fairly quiet instruments in my

control room only 10 feet away from my recording computer so I'll try to explain how to do it.

There are two sides to keeping computer noise to a minimum. There is reduction of the noise

in the first place within the computer itself. Then there are ways to deal with that noise once it

leaves the computer.

Within The Computer

Fans

The most obvious noisemakers in computers are the fans themselves. The fan on the CPU

and the fan on the power supply are the biggest culprits of all. The stock fan on the CPU can

always be upgraded to a model that is much more quiet for just a few extra bucks. (You can

find these here.) When you begin to check out noise level ratings on CPU fans, you'll find

that there can be enormous variation between similar models, even at relatively low price

points. I've seen $30 CPU fans/heatsinks where one model may be 10dB quieter than

another model. This is an enormous difference! Do some research and find a fan/heatsink

for your CPU that makes as little noise as possible.

Make sure you go with as large a fan size as possible. The smaller the fan, the higher rpm it

will have to spin to move the same amount of air. The faster the fan is spinning, the louder the

noise and the higher the pitch of the noise making the noise more audible.

There are some crazy designs out there for heatsinks and fans. Some of these are capable

of dramatically reducing the noise of the computer for a very reasonable amount of money. If

absolute silence is a requirement for you, money spent on fans is money well spent.

176

Alternative CPU Coolers

There are other alternatives these days when it comes to cooling a CPU. Water-based

cooling has been getting more and more popular over the years. Water based cooling is not

cheap and the actual water pump can make noise as well so you may want to look into

specific models to make sure you aren't replacing modest fan noise with an even louder water

pump. Personally, I've always been a little bit hesitant to toss water into my recording

computer. (I once dumped a cup of coffee onto a computer's motherboard while it was

running and lived to tell about it...BARELY!!)

Fanless CPU Coolers

There are also fanless designs that incorporate enormous heatsinks so that the actual

computer case is a big part of its cooling. These are usually not cheap, but may be worth

looking into. With all of this computer jive, make sure you do your research to ensure that

these methods are still viable as this writing may be ancient history by the time you get a hold

of it. Fanless CPU cooler cases may be fine today but may not work for the next generation

of power hungry computers. As computers get faster, they tend to use more electricity and

therefore generate more heat. The long story short is that your computer needs may outgrow

your fancy cooler.

Power Supply

The power supply is another major contributor to the noise problem. It's always highly

recommended to purchase as quiet a power supply as possible. Every dB you can stop the

computer from producing is a dB you don't have to worry about getting into a microphone.

There aren't too many tricks when it comes to quieting down a power supply. In fact, the only

thing I really know is to buy one with a quiet rating (not necessarily a quiet title) and make

sure that it has as the largest possible fans.

Fan Speed Controllers

Some motherboards allow controllers to either automate the speed of the fans within the

177

computer via a thermostat or allow you to set the fan speed with a knob on your desktop. If

you are having lots of problems with computer noise, even after following my guidelines, a fan

speed controller may be a lifesaver for you. Stock fan speeds are set to overkill speeds and

you can often dramatically reduce the noise level of the computer by simply turning the fans

down.

Because absolute computer silence is a requirement unique to audio recording,

manufacturers seldom bother with the added cost of adding fan speed controllers. If silence

is a requirement, it could pay off to turn the fans down.

Be careful with these. Some of them are dramatically more complicated than they need to

be. Setting them involves dusting off the geometry books. I'm not kidding! Setting them

incorrectly can cause crashes and the dreaded Blue Screen of Death.

Computer Cases

I've noticed that computer case manufacturers often like to name their cases something “cool”

or “quiet”. It's common to see “thermal” this and “silent” that. Never trust the name of a

computer case. That is a marketing ploy. Instead, do some research to find out if the case

can reduce noise or not. While a case is limited in what it can do to reduce noise, every dB

helps. It's totally possible for a case to be rigid enough to knock down noise and be designed

so that wind turbulence in the computer itself is reduced.

You may be familiar with a product called Dynamat. It's very popular in the car audio world.

Dynamat is basically a lead sheet with sticky stuff on one side. The idea is by adding mass to

an item that is resonating, you can greatly reduce the amount of resonance and therefore

reduce the noise. There is some truth to this concept when it comes to soundproofing, but it

is not perfect. It is great for reducing rattles and resonance, but probably isn't going to do

anything for direct fan noise. I've spoken with people who have used Dynamat in their

computer cases and they were pleased with the upgrade. You would apply Dynamat to the

sides and to the top of the insides of the case. We'll discuss this concept of resonance later

178

on in this section.

Round ATA Cables

Always use the round style ATA cables when connecting components to your motherboard.

The flat, ribbon style cables are an incredible inhibitor of airflow and a big reason that

computer fans have to work hard to cool a computer. Spend just a few extra bucks to use

cables that are much more ideal for the cooling of your computer. I'm positive that using

round cables would allow you to turn the fan speed down by a noticeable amount.

Note: Most of us are using SATA hard drives, therefore this isn't that big of an issue anymore

as SATA cables are much smaller and don't inhibit airflow in the way the old ATA cables did.

Fanless Video Cards

Modern video cards get hot. Many of them come with a fan. When putting together a silent

recording computer, choose a video card that uses a fanless design. It's not like a mega

powerful video card is required for audio recording anyway. Therefore, I'm of the opinion that

going with a middle of the road, relatively quiet, and relatively cool video card is the way to

go.

Hard Drive Isolation

Hard drives are mechanical devices that spin at very high RPMs. Because of this, there is no

way to get around the fact that they shake. This shaking will transfer throughout your

computer case. By isolating the hard drive so that the transfer of these vibrations to your

case is reduced, we can reduce the amount of resonance within the case.

179

Fan Isolation

All case fans follow the same laws of physics as the hard drives mentioned above. They are

spinning, so therefore they are vibrating. There are products that allow you, at a relatively low

cost, to reduce the amount of vibration transferring to your computer case.

Outside The Computer

Now that our computer is fairly quiet, we'll still have some noise to contend with. Let's

discuss our options.

Enclosures

If you've got the cash, an enclosure is the way. With an enclosure, you simply toss your

computer into a pretty cabinet and call it a day. You don't have to think about the computer

nerd stuff. You just use a “normal” computer and say heck with it. When you upgrade to a

new computer down the road, it's no big deal to pull out the old computer and put in the new

computer. Unfortunately, a good enclosure that actually does what it is supposed to costs

money. Big money!

Rethinking Home Built Enclosures

I know what you are thinking. Why are these enclosures so expensive? It's easy to build a

wooden box, right? The idea of stuffing a computer into an airtight box sounds like a great

rig. Stuff it in there, seal it up, and be done with it, right? Well, a good enclosure is

expensive. Very expensive! There is much more that goes into an enclosure than you may

initially think.

The first problem is heat. A modern computer is essentially a small space heater. In fact,

computers were getting so hot that they've made efforts in recent years to reduce the wattage

a CPU uses (and therefore dissipates into the air), even at a cost of performance. When you

cram a little space heater into a box, that box is going to get really hot in a hurry. The

problem is ventilation causes noise to leak back into the room and that totally defeats the

180

purpose of the isolation enclosure to begin with.

The second problem is resonance. As discussed briefly above, the computer is full of rotating

thingies that vibrate. It takes advanced engineering to come up with a box that will be able to

contain this resonance. If you were to take a 4'x8' sheet of plywood and simply toss it on top

of the average computer, the noise would actually get louder. The vibrations would transfer

through the plywood and the plywood would act as a primitive audio speaker.

Another way to see this concept in action is to grab your guitar and physically touch a window

with the headstock (Gently!!!!) and strum a chord. Now pull the guitar off the window. Strum

the same chord. The difference is enormous. The window actually makes the sound louder.

We get into this concept of transfer in the soundproofing section later on, so I'm not going to

dwell too much on it here.

However, simply tossing a computer into a box that is not incredibly rigid (and more than likely

incredibly massive) will result in noise that is louder than a computer with no iso box at all.

On top of that, if significant efforts have not been made to ventilate the iso box, the computer

will run too hot. Of course, we've already defined that the noise can escape this ventilation

rendering the iso box useless.

You can now see why a real deal iso box is so expensive!

Simple Treatments

As ridiculous as this may sound, you may not need any fancy soundproofing for your

recording computer.

Why can't we simply block computer noise with blankets, a couch, or any other absorbing

material? Obviously this depends on your demands. Finger picked acoustic guitar parts and

soft vocals are going to be very quiet and therefore the possibility of noise from the computer

is dramatically increased. Guys in screaming rock bands won't have to worry nearly as much.

181

If blankets don't do the job, more aggressive absorption such as Rockwool probably can. I

keep a 2'x4'x4” sheet of Rockwool wrapped in fabric running along the side of my recording

computer. The noise of the computer has to go around the Rockwool either through the front

or the back of the computer to get to the microphone (which has the blanket in front of it and

is pointed away from the computer anyway). As crude as this method is, I'm shocked by how

little noise gets into my recordings with robo sensitive microphones. When I pull the

Rockwool away, the noise level increases dramatically.

Note: This was with my older Athlon 64 computer which I'd guess is at least 6dB louder than

my current Intel Quad Core computer with stock fan.

No method will work well when the room is excessively live. Just as the sound of clapping

your hands will bounce all over the room, the sound from the computer noise will too. I've

heard some people mention that even with no instruments playing, they can hear the “sound

of the room” as if they were sticking their ear in a seashell. That's not the sound of the room!

That's the noise of the computer bouncing around the walls!

The sound of the computer noise bouncing around the room could be very loud in a room with

many reflective surfaces, and I can't think of a time when we'd want this in a control room. So

if your control room is excessively live, you may want to look into broadband treatment (which

we'll discuss in the “Control Room Acoustics” chapter).

Distance

The best way to deal with noise, toxic waste, and nuclear radiation is to use distance. If you

can't beat 'em, put them so far away that you simply don't notice. Maybe you don't have a

nuclear fall out shelter, but you do have closets, other rooms, etc. What am I talking about?

I'm talking about purchasing KVM extension cables for your keyboard, mouse, and computer

monitor. Most people aren't aware of extension cables. But moving a computer up to 30' feet

is a great way to solve the noise problem. You'll have to walk 30' feet before you burn a cd,

but us recording people could use the exercise anyway.

182

Do not undermine the effects of distance. This is the single most powerful weapon we have

against the forces of control room noise. Without a doubt, KVM extension cables are

dramatically cheaper than any other method outside the computer for stopping noise.

Isolate Vibrations

A problem few of us ever think about is the actual vibrations of the computer case itself.

These vibrations transfer through the floor and can add dramatically to the noise. By adding

some kind of isolation between the bottom of the computer and the floor, there is dramatic

potential for noise reduction.

UPS Uninterrupted Power Supply( )

Don't even think about it. The second the idea of losing all of your recording gear due to an

electrical burnout becomes unbearable, run out and purchase an Uninterrupted Power

Supply. An UPS gives you the luxury of saving your work and shutting your computer down

when the power goes out. When the power has gone out, I've specifically sat down to mix for

15 minutes, because I had nothing else to do. This is the luxury side of the UPS. Then there

is the necessity side.

As I'm writing this, thousands of people are still without power in my immediate area. The UE

guys have put in 90-hour weeks trying to restore power. A massive ice storm has left only a

percentage of trees standing. Those that fell often took power lines with them. The idea of

having heat and electricity again may sound like a huge relief, but for many households, the

news wasn't so pleasing.

My girlfriend's parents lost their furnace, two TVs, computer, X-box 360, stereo, little PA

system, and fireplace doohickey (don't ask), all because their circuit breakers weren't fast

enough. It appears that when a massive tree took a dive in their yard, it took some power

lines with it. Instead of yanking the power lines right off the house, the lines stretched to the

point the insulation between the two lines became thin enough for the two wires to meet. The

end result was disastrous.

183

I got to thinking what I would do if I lost my recording computer, Presonus Firestudio, Vintech

1272, Distressor, Mytek converters, etc etc etc. I'd be out thousands of dollars unless

insurance would bail me out. (Yeah, you can really count on them!)

So anything that is extra important to you, run through a UPS. You won't regret the

investment!

Laptop Recording Considerations

The notion of going portable is great for recording, and in practice, laptops do extremely well.

However, there are a few things to be aware of when recording with a laptop.

Ditch the 5400rpm Hard Drive

A huge majority of laptops come from the factory with an internal hard drive that spins at 5400

rpm. By modern standards, this is slow and there will result in degradation of recording

performance when lots of tracks or samples are used. The second you run into problems go

ahead and purchase an external hard drive and make sure it is 7200 rpm. It's extremely rare

to need more performance than a 7200-rpm drive can deliver. It really doesn't make much

difference whether the external drive utilizes USB 2.0 or Firewire.

You could replace your internal hard drive with a 7200-rpm internal drive, but this would

require you to re-install Windows and all software. In most cases, the external drive method

is preferred.

Dual Boot Systems or Virtual Machines

Seldom are laptops dedicated strictly to recording work. They are used for internet, email,

and just about everything a typical home computer is used for. Therefore, there is an extreme

risk for the operating system of that laptop to be destroyed by an unclean operating system.

If I were going to record on a laptop, I would immediately setup a dual boot system or look

into my options with Virtual Machines.

184

Chipset Issues

As with home computers, make sure the chipset of your laptop is compatible with the audio

interface you select. The chipset problem is no different than with home computers, but the

solution can be more difficult with laptops. In regard to motherboard chipsets, the problem is

the same. If your motherboard is incompatible with your audio interface, you are essentially

up a creek and will be sending the audio interface back. In regard to issues with Firewire or

USB 2.0 chipsets in a home computer, you can simply toss in a new PCI card and be on your

way. With a laptop, you can add a PCMIA Firewire or USB 2.0 card to address this. The

cards are less available and typically cost more money. So plan ahead with the chipset just

like you would with a home computer.

6-Pin Firewire

If you plan to use a bus-powered audio interface so that you can go out and record in the

woods or in the beach relying solely on the power of your laptop's battery, you will want to be

sure that you have a 6-pin Firewire output. A 4-pin, which is more common in laptops, will not

supply power to bus powered audio interfaces.

Performance Limitations

Quite a few people want to record with a laptop. There is nothing wrong with that necessarily.

However, you are going to pay quite a bit more for laptop horsepower. The simple truth is

laptops run slower. As of this writing, the Quad core desktop computers are all over the

place. You can't even purchase a Quad core Dell laptop no matter how much cash you've

got.

Make sure that extra portability is worth the cut in performance. I've found that most people

dramatically overemphasize this portability thing.

185

Computer Performance Optimization

Dux nLited XP Pro

Some dude named Dux has put together a specific build for Windows XP Pro SP3 that is

completely optimized for audio right out of the box. You have to do nothing but install it. I've

been running it for several months on my rig and I have to say that it's amazing.

I did have to install an unzip program (Windows can't do .rar files anyway) and a lightweight

media player program because it's that stripped down. It's a racecar!

If you plan to format your computer for audio recording, I highly recommend this version.

Check it out.

Avoid The Problem In The First Place

Eliminate The Dirty Operating System

I want to make a gigantic emphasis on the importance of this section. Many home recorders

get demoralized by the bugs they have to deal with in their recording setup. Clicks and pops

in their recorded tracks, random errors in their recording software, and just general

unreliability typically stem from the fact that they don't have a “clean” computer.

186

A clean computer has only the bare minimum of software installed. (Extra software clutters

up a computer's hard drive and increases the chances for performance digesting conflicts). A

clean computer is free of viruses and spybots (A huge problem for recording computers

connected to the internet). A clean computer looks boring and empty when you click on the

Start > All Programs. Most importantly, a clean computer is wasting as close to 0% of its

power on unnecessary tasks as possible. This is the big one! If your computer is wasting 1/3

of it's power on junk, you may as well be using a computer from 3 or 4 years ago. Why pay

$2,000 for a new mega computer when you could setup a clean system in an hour and get

the same performance with a computer at a fraction of the price?

I can't state the importance of this concept enough. You will waste hours and hours and

hours fighting your recording software (if you are doing anything demanding at all) if you insist

on using a dirty operating system.

In my opinion, life is too short to build the foundation of your recording studio on such shaky

ground. I want a strong foundation and I don't want to have to mess with any more

distractions than I have to. As if music recording didn't have enough challenges!

Recording Software Is Different

Recording software is fairly unique. High-end software like Adobe Photoshop or

Dreamweaver can run on just about anything remotely modern. When I type a key, the

software reacts when it can. If the computer is slow it may take a while, but ultimately the

dimension of time is not one that these programs really deal with.

However, with recording software, when I speak into a mic, I need to hear the sound

immediately. There is no “take your time” tolerance when recording music. So maybe a

computer runs fairly aggressive programs with little to no problems. So what. That is nothing

compared to giving a computer 5ms to take in an audio signal, route it through recording

software, compress it, add reverb, combine it with the background music, and then send it

back out.

187

Because of this added time demand, we need to treat our recording computers with a little

more care than we would the computer we check our email with.

Use a dedicated computer for recording

Recording music puts extraordinary demands on a recording computer. It's a miracle that the

technology exists that can handle the demands of music recording. So, it's extremely

important that our recording computers are performing at their best. Raw horsepower cannot

make up for flat tires. To anyone with the means and budget, I highly recommend using a

separate computer for music recording. Ideally, internet should never be hooked up. There

should be no software installed that isn't specifically used for the recording process.

I basically look at my recording computer as my racecar. Racecars do not have air

conditioning or carpet. The seat is not designed for comfort. The car is designed to go fast

enough to kill you! Recording computers are built for performance and nothing else.

Closing out a program is only going to reduce a slight portion of the damage done by a

trashed registry, viruses, spybots, etc. The only way to get around it is to use a system where

you won't even be tempted to install Yahoo Messenger and other cancer causing agents.

Dual Boot System

To those with a smaller budget or a situation that doesn't allow for a second computer, a dual

boot system is a great alternative. Basically, you have two operating systems. When you

start your computer, you will have the option to load the usual system or to load the recording

system. The recording system can be 100% optimized for recording while your normal

system can be used for email, internet, games, etc. Installing a dual boot system is free and

it only takes about 30 minutes to install Windows XP on a good day. I highly highly highly

recommend this to anyone who is having problems with their recording software. The dual

boot system is beyond the scope of this book, but it's not difficult to do. It's certainly simpler

and faster than troubleshooting recording software forever.

Viruses have no trouble working their way over from one installation of Windows to another.

188

Virtual Machines

Yet another route to take that may work better for the average joe is the use of a Virtual

Machine. Essentially, a virtual machine allows you to run a completely isolated operating

system within another operating system. This opens a number of doors, but the most

important being the enormous security that you can wrap your internet operating system in.

Check out Vmware, Virtual PC, VirtualBox, or QEMU.

The basic idea is you install Windows normally on your computer. This Windows version is

barely even used for anything other than launching the Virtual Machine software. Then with

your Virtual Machine, you divide the computer up into various sections where you will install

Windows (or possibly another type of operating system) again. These are totally isolated

from each other so you can switch to the internet installation and download all the craziest

viruses in the world and it will have zero effect on your recording computer. This is what I

plan to use with my next recording computer.

Note: There are going to be the Mac enthusiasts who claim that none of this is necessary on

a Mac. I think the use of the word “none” may be a bit of an overstatement, but I can't argue

with the fact that a typical Mac avoids the need for much of this setup process. Inevitably, the

Mac route is a bit more convenient for an additional fee. However, I've not heard any

significant evidence to suggest that the Mac is more secure because of better-written

software. It seems to be simply a matter of fewer people attack Macs because fewer people

use Macs. So if Macs continue to gain in popularity it's possible that their secure status will

diminish. Virus software writers will find a way.

Make A Carbon Copy Backup Of Your Operating

System

I often recommend that new home recording people format their current operating system.

189

The idea is to start fresh with a “clean” operating system free of the headaches that come

from using a trashed operating system. The actual formatting of a Windows computer isn't

too time consuming. Within 30 minutes to an hour I can have a system formatted with a new

install of Windows ready to go. However, by the time I install all my software, register it, and

then begin the tedious process of installing all plugins and samples, it's very possible that I've

wasted most of the day.

If you have a trashed operating system there is no way to get around formatting in my

opinion. However, once you have a well-performing, reliable system it's time to make a

carbon copy. Using a program called BartPE you can make a flawless carbon copy of your

Windows setup on an additional hard drive so that if you run into problems in the middle of a

session, you can completely restore your last backup in about 10 minutes.

Note: I want to make it clear that this is not the Windows “system restore” feature, which is a

total joke in comparison. This method actually erases the entire C: drive and replaces it with

exactly what you had on your hard drive (byte per byte) on your last backup date without

losing a single shred of performance.

http://www.recordingreview.com/blog/computer-recording-issues/create-a-perfect-backup-of-

your-windows-hard-drive/

Stick with Good Ole Reliable Stable Operating, ,

System

To this date, I don't know of a single person who is happy recording music with a New, Cutting

Edge, Piece of Junk Operating System. (I'm referring to whatever operating system is being

advertised on Super Bowl and American Idol commercials). The hardware manufacturers

have been very slow to release New, Cutting Edge, Piece of Junk-ready drivers. While some

companies have had drivers out for a long time, I still hear of people having problems nearly

two years later.

190

There is considerable debate in regard to the need for New, Cutting Edge, Piece of Junk

Operating System. In other words, many people have been very happy with Good Ole,

Reliable, Stable Operating System and don't see the added benefit of running New, Cutting

Edge, Piece of Junk Operating System. This will eventually change. Just remember that if

you decide to run New, Cutting Edge, Piece of Junk Operating System on your recording

computer, it's likely that you will exponentially increase your headaches. Because of the

nature of music recording, I always recommend going with the most stable system out there.

In case, I didn't make my point obvious here, I'm talking about Window XP and Windows

Vista. Windows XP is the good ol' reliable software. Vista is the new, cutting edge, piece of

junk. I didn't want to date myself. I'm sure in the next decade the same debate between old

vs new will still be going. Once again, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I'm not really trying to turn this section into a XP vs Vista argument. In fact, I don't want to

limit it to a discussion of Microsoft products. This applies to Mac and Linux as well. A

recording rig is a low tolerance, high performance machine. You do not want to go on an

experimental mission unless you are more interested in boldly going where no man has gone

before than you are actually recording music. Play it safe. Like pulling off a bank heist (yes,

I'm an expert), you must know that every member of your crew is reliable and not going to

turn on you. It's hard enough to steal the jewels when everything goes right. The same

applies here.

Use Multiple Hard Drives

It's always recommended to use one hard drive specifically for the operating system and then

a second hard drive for the actual audio files. Because the audio drive is working very hard in

a recording computer (playing back dozens of tracks), its always best to let it focus on just the

audio data. In the event that you use samples, it is recommended that you place your

samples on the third hard drive. Samples need to be played back extremely quickly and by

using a dedicated hard drive for your samples, you dramatically improve reliability and

performance.

191

Go ahead and install your actual recording software on the C: drive. There is no performance

benefit to installing it on your audio or sample drives.

7200 RPM 10k RPM and 15k RPM Hard Drives, ,

Since the early 2000s, I've been using standard ATA and SATA hard drives that spin at 7200

rpm. You can certainly get faster performing hard drives at a higher price. For example,

Seagate (a popular hard drive manufacturer) claims an increase in performance of 30% with

their 15k rpm Cheetah series, which sell for about triple the price of their more standard

Barracuda line and require a special motherboard.

In all but the most extreme cases of audio recording I consider this to be a total waste of

money. Stick with the good ol' 7200 rpm hard drives that you can purchase in the $60-100

range (give or take).

Optimize The Operating System

Unfortunately, operating systems have to be all things to all people. I would love to have an

operating system that was perfect for Brandon and not care about the other 60 zillion people

on the planet. It hit home for me when a nerdy, server type of guy showed me his operating

system on a floppy disk. (Why does Windows require an entire CD or even DVD?)

Windows comes with junk and add-ons that I will never use. Because of this, there is quite a

bit of tuning that can be done to dramatically improve the performance of an operating

system.

This tuning can result in ridiculous gains! I always go for performance so a good chunk of this

optimization is turning off pretty things that have no functional purpose. For example, as I

write this piece of epic literature, the bar at the bottom of my screen (I'm typing this on a

Windows XP system) is grey. The standard color is this pretty blue gradient. The pretty blue

bar will not make this book any better and that pretty blue bar won't make your recordings

better either. While probably not an enormous CPU hog, the pretty blue theme in XP uses

192

more computer power than the “classic” ugly design. I'm not going to go into detail about

optimizing Windows XP for recording because I'd like for this book to be of some use in 2018.

So forget I even mentioned XP! Just understand that any operating system designed to be

sold to the masses is going to have unnecessary, CPU using stuff installed that may not be

catering to you. If performance is an issue (and when is it not!) turn that stuff off!

You can find endless articles from the computer nerd sites online that go into great depth on

what you can turn off, how you can turn it off, what is safe to turn off, what will fry your

computer (joke), etc. I could rehash the same info that is freely available all over the web in

this book, but I didn't see the point. Just search for “XP optimization” or “X operating system

optimization” and you'll find plenty of well thought out guides by computer guys who are way

more nerdie (and knowledgeable) than you or I can stand.

Should I Use Internet On My Recording Computer?

This always sounds like a loaded question to me. If a person walked up to me and said

“Should I use illegal controlled substances?” I would make a strange face. I would then

slowly ask, “What?” If they persisted and asked “Should I use heroin?” I'd probably have to

go ahead and suggest that they don't stab themselves with a needle 50 times a day just so

they can flush their life down the toilet. I find this issue internet/recording computer

relationship to be similar.

The issue of internet usage on a recording computer is often discussed on the forum at

RecordingReview.com. I do not use internet on my recording computer. My life is

complicated enough and I don't want to risk dealing with the potential performance loss that

can be associated with running internet on my recording computer.

I think there are two things in this world that do not mix. Drinking and driving is one.

Recording computers and internet is the other. That's it. Everything else mixes.

To me, the need for internet also brings up the need for Anti-virus software and spybot

193

removal software. Adding these 2 programs (which are known performance KILLERS ) is not

an option for me. Every little image you see on your screen is stored away in a cache

somewhere incrementally fragmenting your hard drive. Even a person who is pretty good

about avoiding “bad neighborhoods” on the web will still find new surprises in their programs

list that they didn't put there. I've even had hardware conflicts that occurred simply because a

networking card was installed. On a typical computer, this is no big deal. On a recording

computer, I'll let you decide.

The only benefit I can see to having internet on a recording computer is the ease in obtaining

software updates. I only update my software when I have problems, so this is a very, very

rare situation. So, to me, the risk is not worth the reward. To others, the risk to reward ratio

may be different.

When I need to transport files to and from my computer, I simply pull out my flash drive. It

works great and means I don't have to take any risks with the internet.

Note: I should probably mention that lightly using internet on a recording computer isn't

guaranteed suicide. Smart, light uses of internet in very safe neighborhoods can work out.

However, it's a risk. As a guy who doesn't have time to deal with the potential pitfalls, I don't

take the chance. Because I'm constantly helping people with their technical hurdles at

RecordingReview.com I find that a trashed computer is one of the biggest causes of technical

problems and frankly I'm too tired to solve my own!

How Much Should I Spend On a Recording Computer?

The idea of spending too much money on a recording computer has always bothered me.

There are so many components in the recording chain that it doesn't make sense to blow too

much cash on just one link.

Obviously computers are not known for retaining their value. A $4,000 computer today is a

paperweight in a few years. You'll be lucky to pay someone $5 to take it off of your hands!

194

With that said, the clunk of slamming a digital computation relic into a trash can is something

that makes an impact on a person...and the trash can. It's important to note that not all

recording gear is like this. Microphones, preamps, compressors, and other hardware tend to

hold their value very well if they were desirable in the first place. Musical instruments vary

quite a bit, but a “good” instrument will hold its value in most instances.

It seems illogical to blow an enormous amount of cash on computer power when you know

you are “working your way up” in terms of gear. It's usually smarter to invest in a computer

that will meet your recording needs and little more so that you can put your money to work

into areas that are much more important than the bragging rights of having a supercomputer.

(What's the deal with the computer nerds who post their computer specs in their forum

signature?)

When I see people who are blowing $2,000 on a recording computer, it always makes me

wrinkle my nose a little bit as if someone broke wind in an unpleasing way (as opposed to the

“pleasing” way). It's that same feeling I get when I see people who shouldn't be scantily clad

in public being scantily clad in public. Just remember that there are many, many links in the

chain. If your studio monitoring sucks, your recording computer should suck too. That's my

opinion, anyway.

When I upgrade my recording computer, I spend $100 on the motherboard, $100 on the

processor, and max out the RAM which my operating system will effectively use.

At the moment, my current recording computer (which I use to make a living) would be

completely smoked if I were to upgrade it today. My computer is “slow”. So what! Yes, there

are much faster computers out there. I'd rather have the cash! Of course, I already have a

high quality power supply, an excellent video card, and three hard drives. (I actually have a

fourth hard drive installed, but that's just for backup purposes.)

Instead of measuring your computer performance needs by what everyone else is doing, take

a look at your sessions. If you are wasting time or feel limited because your CPU keeps

195

bogging, maybe it's time to look into an upgrade. However, if you do well with your current

setup, buy yourself a new mic or other misc recording toy. Better yet. Fly to Hawaii!

Note: I lied. I just ordered a new computer last night. I spent $50 on the motherboard, $180

on the processor, and maxed out the RAM. All the parts cost me a hair over $400 and this

computer should be about nine times faster than my previous computer.

Take A Look At Servers

My experience with consumer grade, store bought PCs has been not-so-good. I find that they

are a pain in the neck. Everything from the useless software they contaminate the operating

system with from the factory to the fact that most of the buttons have been changed when

attempting to fire up safe mode or BIOS to the fact that some of them have such tiny cases

that you need the hands the size of a seven year old to toss in a RAM chip have made me

really grow intolerant of the typical computer the big computer manufacturers put out. Good

luck trying to fit three hard drives in your typical Walmart computer.

However, there is still one place to look to find affordable, killer computers from the big, name

brands. It's the used server / workstation market. A Dell server was my first recording

computer and even after I retired it from recording use, it held its own with computers with

dramatically higher specs for years. Looking back, that computer was especially impressive.

It kind of reminds me of an old dog I used to have. I think I'll call that server “Old Yeller”.

Servers and workstations are intended for a different market. They are marketed to people

who actually want to do something productive with their lives / computers. The typical person

who's greatest life achievement is decorating their Myspace page or installing yet another

toolbar is not really going to be interested in the relatively boring, performance driven mindset

that goes into a server or workstation.

When workstations and servers are brand new, they cost a fortune. For example, I just

checked Ebay for a “Dell server” and found a Dell PowerEdge 6650 that listed for $6,000+

just a few years ago. Now you can get the thing for a few hundred bucks. Even by today's

196

standards this thing is still fast.

Not everyone wants a 90lb rack mount box that looks more like a tank than a computer

(actually, that sounds about like the most pleasing thing imaginable), so do yourself a favor

and at least look at the workstations out there if you are not interested in building your own

computers.

The average consumer looking to purchase a computer seldom searches for “server” or

“workstation” and usually it's a large corporation who has upgraded their entire fleet of

computers who is selling them. They are simply looking to move their old computers to make

room for the new. The long story short is the bang for the buck possibilities are very high.

How Much Computer Power Do I Need?

I'd love to tell you “7”. You need 7 computer power. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any good

standard to judge the amount of computer juice I'm using other than looking at my CPU %

meter. Generally speaking, a fairly modern computer (in the mid/late 2000s) that is setup

properly and clean can handle recording 40 tracks of audio with a fair amount of CPU-friendly

plugins and simple routing fairly easily. Recording wav files is not nearly as demanding on a

computer as it was earlier in the decade.

However, MIDI synths and samples can be VERY aggressive at chewing up your CPU power

in a hurry. There is no limit to the amount of RAM a sampler can use. I've seen drum

samples that use 2GB of RAM for a single drum kit.

MIDI synths like Native Instruments Absynth are capable of tremendous, mind-blowing

sounds and are also capable of overloading a computer processor in no time.

As of this writing, I'm using an Athlon 64 2800 with 2GB of RAM which is considered “old” by

current standards. I can record 40 tracks without too much of a problem in Cubase. The

bundled plugins with Cubase and the Waves Platinum edition work great for me and are very

easy on the CPU. I've downloaded plugins that weren't so efficient on my processor. I

197

recently tried some new, free plugins and my computer was toast after using 5 or 6 plugins.

So, your computer's performance will be affected greatly by which plugins you use.

I can usually fire up quite a few instances of synths and samples without too much trouble.

There is no way that I could do a full blown orchestra MIDI production with my computer

without rendering down to wav files constantly. Usually 10 tracks (assuming drums are just 2

tracks in this case) of MIDI running to 10 different synths and samples will start to push my

computer pretty hard. Adding a few reverbs on top of this can make my computer tired in a

hurry. Of course, if I'm really serious about mixing a MIDI tune, I'll render all the tracks to wav

files and remove the synths and samples from that project. This would free up 90% of my

CPU power.

The general rule goes like this: If you plan to use many synths and samples in your music, go

for maximum computer power that you can afford. If you are recording wav files you won't

require as much power. As illustrated above, both synths/samples and wav recording can

use up huge amounts of CPU power if the plugins are CPU hogs.

As mentioned previously, a Quad Core computer will pretty much solve this problem.

There Is Always A Way Out

People have been doing multi-track recording with computers since the late 90s. So if it was

possible then, why is CPU usage still an issue now? Well, some of that is caused by modern

CPU hog plugins. Some of it was because people were using techniques to squeeze more

power out of their computers back in the 90s. Here are some of those techniques that I still

use on a regular basis.

Use Aux Sends Properly

Every recording software has a method to send a signal to an “aux” of some kind.

(Sometimes these are called “effects sends”). By sending some of the vocal signal to a bus

with a reverb plugin on it, we are able to share this reverb with other tracks. We can send a

guitar, snare drum, or any other track to this exact same reverb. This is an alternative to

198

placing individual reverbs as inserts on tracks. One reverb used as an aux send could take

the place of 50 reverbs used as inserts. This means you've effectively used 1/50th of the CPU

power.

In this case, you are stuck with that one single reverb. You may find that you don't want the

same reverb on the snare drum that you are using for vocals. Just fire up another aux send

with the new reverb. A typical mix can usually get away with two or three reverbs without any

problem.

Of course, you aren't limited to just reverb. You can use aux sends for chorus, delay, or just

about any effect in which you want to blend in an effect with a dry signal from multiple tracks.

If you haven't played with auxiliary sends in your recording software, it's time to crack open

the manual.

I cover this topic in more depth in the Killer Home Recording: Murderous Mixing as specific

effects work better than others with aux sends.

Render Tracks

Just remember that there is always a way to reduce CPU usage, but there is a compromise.

Processes that must be done in real time cause CPU usage to climb. For example, if we hit

play on a song, the computer must process the reverb on the vocal (among a zillion other

things). We force the computer to process this reverb each and every time so that we have

the ability to tweak and make future decisions. However, if we decide we want to commit to a

sound, all we have to do is render the output of that effect to a wav file. We still have the

ability to manipulate the reverb as it is sitting on its own track, but our computer isn't working

nearly as hard playing back that reverb track wav file as it was processing the reverb plugin.

I always save the original project file with all original MIDI files, wav files and synths/samples.

Then I save the project as Song-Name-Mix-001 or something. This gives me the freedom to

render down anything and everything in whatever combination I feel like at the time. This

makes it easy to conserve CPU power. If I goof up, I can always go back to the original

199

project file and get what I need.

If you are using a synth that is hogging your CPU power, it's not a big deal to render that

down to a wav file. If you have 12 layers of guitar tracks, once you have them where you

want them, you can render those down to a stereo wav file to reduce CPU usage.

When I mix a song, sometimes I push the CPU meter a little hard even after all synths have

been rendered to wav. It's common for me to use plenty of gates, EQ, compression, reverb,

fancy routing, distortion, sample replacement, and who knows what else to get my drum

tracks happening. If push came to shove and I was desperate, I could easily render the

drums down to a single track. This would free up tons of CPU power. Is it ideal to give up the

option of tweaking the drums? No! However, it's one way out.

Note: As I've gotten better at tracking drums, I'm using far less processing power to get the

drums where I want them. If you are maxing out your computer, maybe it would be better to

put your time into improving your audio engineering skills. Food for thought.

Freezing

Recording software like Cubase (and probably others) utilize the freeze function. Let's say

we have a vocal track with an EQ, compressor, de-esser, and pitch shifter on a vocal. Let's

say these are all high quality, CPU-hogging plugins. We can simply scroll to the vocal and

press the freeze button. Cubase then renders the track in the background. We can no longer

make edits to it. We have pretty much committed just like I mentioned about rendering

above. The difference is switching back to non-rendered mode where all the plugins are

doing the processing can be done instantaneously. Pressing the un-freeze mode puts us

right back to where we were in the event that we need to change an EQ or whatever.

I've found that freezing doesn't free up as much processing power as rendering a track down,

unfortunately. Maybe the newer software versions have taken care of this issue. So if you

are still pushing your computer, even with freezing, try rendering files to wav the old fashioned

way and see if that gives you any more power.

200

32 bit vs. 64 bit Operating Systems- -

As of this writing, there is yet another factor to further complicate things when setting up a

computer-recording rig. Not only do we now have to contend with chipset compatibility for our

audio interface (and in the case of Dice II certain software applications), but now we must

make sure that both our audio interface and recording software are compatible with either 32-

bit or 64-bit operating systems.

There isn't a whole lot to tell here. To put it simply, do not purchase recording software, an

audio interface, or an operating system until you are positive that all three are compatible.

Often these types of requirements are hidden deep down within the manufactures website.

Save yourself hours of headaches, shipping costs, and desperate research!

Where To Get Your Recording Computer

If you are in a position to get your hands on a computer that is dedicated for audio recording,

you certainly have an advantage. The tricky part is finding where to purchase your computer.

There are several possibilities.

You can purchase your computer from the kind of company that has Super Bowl

commercials. You can buy your computer from a shop specializing in recording computers.

You can build one yourself. Your options are fairly wide open on this one, and it can get a

little tricky.

Major Brand Computers

The big corporation computers are not a terrible way to go. They are usually reasonably

priced and have a warranty. There are usually little hurdles that can make these computers a

little more difficult to work on, but this factor certainly isn't the end of the world. You can be

certain that all the individual components within the computer match up with one another, but

it's generally a guess as to whether the chipsets within these computers will work with a given

audio interface.

201

A major problem with the major brand computers is they always seem to feature the latest

operating system. It takes time for those writing audio interface drivers to accommodate

changes in operating systems; it's very common for this “up to date” operating system to be

well ahead, and therefore problematic. There is a tendency to release Windows versions that

aren't compatible with many forms of hardware. There was essentially an industry wide “No

Support for Windows Media Center Edition” policy, for example.

By installing an already optimized operating system, such as this version of Windows XP, a

person can have all the benefits of a big brand computer while avoiding most of the

drawbacks.

Build Your Own Computer

Putting your own computer together does take a little more knowledge, but there can be great

benefits, too. When you put your own computer together you know what components you

have used, and you can control the quality of those components. I think it's safe to say that

most major brand computers have gone with relatively humble components to keep costs

down. This doesn't always translate into extreme performance losses, but it can. When you

build your own computer, you can ensure that all chipset requirements line up, you know

exactly what operating system you've used and how you've optimized it, and you can decide

how much you want to spend.

It's possible to make huge savings. I recently put together a Quad Core computer for $400.

The cheapest equivalent name brand computers were over $600 and many were well over

$1,000.

Specialized Recording Computer Companies

There are quite a few companies out there who build computers that are ready to rock for

audio recording. All components have been selected to be quiet and ideal for recording. They

often come with a warranty and are completely optimized. The cost of such computers is

very, very high however. You certainly pay a premium for having someone else do all the

optimization and component selection. Typically, for the price of a high-end major brand

computer you will only get a fraction of the performance with specialized recording

202

computers. You've got to shell out serious bucks to get the latest performance. I doubt if my

$400 Quad Core computer could be purchased for less than $2,000 from such a company.

Then again, it's nice to have a guy on the phone you can contact when things go wrong.

Open Source Recording Computers

I'm playing with this new idea where Recording Review builds custom recording computers

just like the specialized companies above, but cuts out the support in exchange for saving

you $500-1,000 on a full blown mega-powerhouse recording computer. If you require

support, you could call our 1-900 number. If you don't, keep the cash and go on a mini-

vacation. If you are interested, check it out.

Incompatible Audio Interfaces

Q: I found a great deal on an old audio interface that isn't compatible.

Should I get it?

Yes, I've actually been asked if it's a good idea to jump on a good deal for an old audio

interface that makes absolutely no mention of compatibility and then simply work out the bugs

to get it to work on the newer, higher bit operating system. My answer to that is an

overwhelming no! Do not do it! Unless you write drivers for fun it's definitely not worth saving

a few bucks on an audio interface to get one that is not compatible with your operating

systems. Force the manufactures to do that! There are plenty of audio interfaces in the

under $200 range. Some exist in the $100 range. Do not put yourself through this much hell

just to save $50!

203

Cables

There isn't that much to cables in the home recording world, but I figured that since we are

starting with the absolute basics, we should cover the topic.

Different Types Of Cables

XLR Cables

An XLR cable is the standard for plugging into

microphones, but can be used throughout the

recording chain. My high-end preamps have only XLR

outputs, but my mid-grade preamps have both XLR

and 1/4” outputs. My high-end converters only have

XLR inputs. So, I guess it's fairly safe to say that most

high-end gear will interconnect with XLR cables. XLR

cables are what we call “balanced” which means that

they have a noise canceling feature built into their design. Don't get too excited by this. It's

not like XLR cables eliminate all hiss and hum. They are simply designed so that the cable

itself doesn't add any additional noise.

204

XLR Cables

1/4” Cables

You will mostly see 1/4” cables associated with guitar

gear, but the 1/4” jack is certainly prevalent in the home

recording world. Most mid-grade gear will interconnect

with 1/4” cables. 1/4” cables are not balanced and

therefore have no hum and noise reducing qualities.

These are often known as “instrument cables”.

205

1/4” Cables

TRS Cables

TRS cables (also known as Tip-Ring-Sleeve) look like

standard 1/4” cables but they have a third wire run

within the cable to make the cable balanced just like an

XLR cable. It's always recommended to use TRS

connections between recording gear.

S/PDIF

S/PDIF cables are used to send digital signals. I use

S/PDIF cables to send signal from my Mytek AD

converters to my audio interface. S/PDIF cables look

just like the standard RCA cables you use to connect

your DVD player to your DVD. In fact, there really isn't

any difference. I have used standard RCA cables and

haven't noticed any change in quality.

206

TRS Cables

S/PDIF Cables

Wordclock BNC

When sending Wordclock to all devices that require a

clock, a fancy connector that can be twisted to lock

securely in place is used. Most home recorders will

never have any need for this kind of connector.

Optical Cables

ADAT Lightpipe connections use a cable that passes

light through it. The connector is a small rectangular

figure that reminds me of what a cereal-box equivalent

of a Star Wars spacecraft may look like. Okay, that

may not be that helpful, but you'll know it when you see

it. These are the same optical cables that are often

utilized in home theater setups to pass Dolby Digital

5.1 signals. They are often referred to as Toslink

cables.

207

BNC Cables

BNC Cables

Should I Pay Top Dollar For High End Cables?

Some people make a huge deal about the quality of cables. I have a buddy who spent $500

on the cables for his car stereo. Of course, he is ignorant of the fact that the acoustics of his

car are a disaster resembling Earthquake tragedy footage, but he swears he can hear a

difference. Perception is reality with the audio stuff (and that's part of the solution and the

problem!).

I have no doubt that super expensive cables can make a difference, but this difference is

rarely what the user expected to get for the investment. The difference between cheap

cables and expensive cables is most audible in areas where impedances are not optimized.

In English, this means that electric guitar cables will make the most obvious difference. (If

you are interested in the technical explanation, do a search on “capacitive reactance” and

“inductive reactance”). How obvious? Let's put it this way. You have to work really hard to

hear the difference and switching from a cheap guitar cable and an expensive guitar cable,

and no expensive cable has ever turned a crappy guitar sound into a great guitar sound.

Then again, if you can get an extra 1% for a minimal price upgrade, why not?

The difference in cables for XLR cables is a little less profound, simply because the

impedances are a little better optimized than you would find with electric guitar. Some people

swear by using high-end cables for their microphones. I read about one producer who was

using a $400 mic cable. He was having problems with the vocals sounding too bright. He

wasn't happy with the tone. He got the idea to replace the $400 mic cable with a standard

grade cable, which was nothing special. That fixed it. He actually preferred the sound of the

typical $20 cable. The high-end cable sounded too aggressive and harsh. Granted, I would

expect the difference in high end to be quite subtle. I'm guessing that a producer in this

position is going to be extremely picky about capturing exactly what he wants.

You'll find that as you get up to line-level, the difference in cables is very subtle, because the

208

mathematical possibilities of inductive and capacitive reactance have been significantly

reduced. So any source that is line level, I don't bother with anything fancy. I stick with my

good ol' reliable cables that I've had for years.

Any standard length cable (10'-30') that costs more than $100 is a total waste of money, in

my opinion, for anyone recording in anything less than a zillion dollar studio. With that said,

purchasing ultra-cheap cables is expensive too. I usually don't have any problems with the

sound of my normal cables. The only problem is that most of my cheap cables no longer

work! My middle of the road XLR cables ($25-40 for a 30' cable) have lasted me for years

and years.

I bought some Spectraflex guitar cables back in 1996. They still work perfectly to this day. I

think they were about $20 in 1996 dollars. So, buying good cables is a great idea. Buying

the step or two up from the bargain bin is a smart idea. However, I don't really consider it an

issue of fidelity. It's more of an issue of reliability.

Really Really Bad Cables,

I don't mean to imply that bad cables can't ruin tone. Try using yarn instead of copper and it'll

be obvious that sweater material doesn't not have the conductive properties that copper does.

So with that said, there are definitely totally substandard cables out there that can totally

wreck your tone. However, I'm not even sure where a person could buy these. I've

encountered cables like this only a few times in my life.

I did have an “eye opening” experience with my KVM switcher. A KVM is a switch that allows

you to use the same keyboard, computer monitor, and mouse for multiple computers. I

bought a low budget KVM that included cables. When I fired up my second computer with

these included cables, the screen was so blurry it was hard to read. I switched out the

included cables with my own and the screen was instantly clear. The included cables must

have been made out of yarn!

209

So, cables can make a difference in fidelity. Really, really bad cables can wreck whatever

signal they are passing. So make sure you go with good, name brand cables and you will be

safe. With most cables, it's fairly safe to assume $1 per foot. A 20' mic cable should cost in

the ballpark of $20. The same goes for instrument cables and such. Shorter cables tend to

cost a little more per foot.

Short vs. Long Cables XLR

When I first got started, I read some article that scared the living daylights out of me. It said

that if my cables were too long, my audio fidelity would plummet. This guy is what we refer to

in the specific field of audio recording as a “jerk”. While theoretically, if you ran a mic cable

from New York to LA, you would hear some fidelity problems. In fact, I bet a mile long cable

would have noticeably poor effects on audio performance. However, I've yet to hear a

noticeable difference between 10' cables I run straight into my preamp versus 30' cables I run

into a 100' snake before going into my preamp. Maybe I could A/B the two and scrunch up

my nose and force myself to hear a difference, but I definitely wouldn't put money on it.

So, definitely do not purchase cables that are too short! There is zero audible difference

between a 10' cable and a 30' cable for all practical purposes. Keep in mind that a mic stand

for a vocal is 6' off the ground. Your audio interface may be 4' off the ground. This means

your singer must essentially stand on the audio interface. Unless you know you require very

short runs, I recommend 30' cables.

Q Should I Use Balanced TRS or XLR Cables Via: ( ) Unbalanced Connections?

A: My general view is to use balanced cables whenever possible. (A part of me says I need

to look into converting my guitar, amp, and pedals over to balanced.) However, it won't do

you any good to plug balanced cables into an unbalanced connection. The third wire will just

be hanging there and won't be connected to anything, no noise cancellation will occur, and

you will have wasted the extra cash required for TRS.

210

So if you just happen to be using gear that uses RCA ins/outs or 1/4” (instrument....not TRS)

ins/outs, don't bother with the extra expensive of balanced cables.

211

Beginner Studio Construction

Q Do I Need A Vocal Booth?:

A: Why do you need a vocal booth? Is it because you saw pictures of vocal booths in

recording magazines? Is it because you require the isolation of recording vocals in their own

separate little room? I've recorded quite a few vocals (some with a vocal booth way back in

the day) and I have to say that I greatly prefer having the singer recording in the control room

with me. Is this a sign of amateurishness? No! This is what Bono from U2 does. He's so

professional they make South Park episodes about him. Recording vocals in the control

room is popular with many, many pro engineers, producers, and singers even when they have

access to well designed, great sounding vocal booths.

This whole music creation process has nothing to do with doing things the way you are

“supposed” to. There is no “supposed to”. This is something that people who are not yet

confident about their music creation make up. Each and every decision that is made along

the way is to make the music more effective. It has nothing to do with how the other guy does

it. It has to do with finding a way that works for you, the clients you work with, and most of all,

the music being made. There are going to be certain situations that are unique. Maybe your

computer is noisy or the cat meows all the time. Maybe your control room is super small (I'd

be making a trip to Lowes and acquiring a large sledgehammer as soon as possible.)

So much of producing (and engineering) is getting the singer comfortable so that they can

open up. I need to be there to coach them, excite them, lead them, and push them to perform

better than ever before.

Recently, a singer I worked with was accused of “studio magic” because this singer sounded

quite a bit better on the recording than they typically do live. It turns out that I barely used any

Auto-tune or any other tool that is considered to be of supernatural origin on the entire

project. I simply pushed this singer until they got to a place where they could hit the song

with maximum intensity. I think I'm better at doing this when I'm just a few feet from this

person. I don't want to feel like I'm on the phone with the person when I'm working with them.

212

I want to look them in the eye and I want to be able to throw stuff at them. Seriously! Ballistics

is my number one reason for not using a vocal booth.

There are more issues with vocal booths that I don't like. Vocal booths require special

acoustical treatment. Take a condenser mic into an untreated empty closet. It's sounds like

it’s on boxy overload. YUCK! This sound is totally unusable for anything I'd ever do. The tiny

nature of vocal booths makes them prime targets for this terrible boxy sound. It's

unacceptable! The only option to getting rid of this boxiness is to make the room totally dead.

However, you have to be smart about this because it's possible that you will absorb all the

high end and upper midrange reflections but end up with a room where you can still clearly

hear the muddy low end and low midrange reflections. Yell in a vocal booth. You shouldn't

hear any boominess. If you do, take the Lowe’s sledgehammer and knock it down. Either

that or figure out how to get that low-mid junk out of there. (Don't ask me how to do it. I'm no

acoustical engineer!) Most people dramatically underestimate the acoustical treatment side

of vocal booths. Most people do not realize that a bigger room often has less severe standing

waves and other acoustical anomalies that get in the way of great-sounding vocals. I've had

better luck with larger rooms.

One thing you seldom see in big boy studios is the ceiling of the vocal booth. The vocal

booth isn't usually huge, but the ceiling is usually dramatically taller than you may expect. It's

fairly common to see vocal booths with 15 foot ceilings or higher. This is all done in an effort

to keep the low mix boxiness out of the room (and probably to have somewhere for the heat

to go!). Granted, there are small vocal booths, but they are always heavily treated.

A few big reasons I don't like vocal booths are:

A) I like to feel like I'm working together with the singer I'm dealing with and not in some

distant land.

B) Vocal booths that are not well-designed sound like someone's nightmare. They are

horrible! If you get the vocal booth right, you have the benefit of isolation, but seldom is that

an issue for me or anyone overdubbing vocals.

C) The cost. Why should I bother spending my time and money on something that may affect

the way I work in a negative way and at the same time sound worse? That makes no sense

213

to me nor to my way of working. For some studios, a vocal booth has the “Wow!” factor and

can actually bring in clients. Why on Earth a client would pay simply because a person has a

6 x 6 prison cell is beyond me, but I know that this happens frequently. In situations where

bands are tracking live and we want to cut vocals at the same time without thinking about

isolation (dramatically opening up our microphone options) I can definitely see the benefit of

the vocal booth. For the beginner just getting started in home recording, don't blow your

money on construction of things like vocal booths. In time, you'll figure out if you really need

a vocal booth or not. For now, get your basic needs covered.

Q Should I Begin Studio Construction?:

In the Accurate Studio Monitoring Chapter of Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering I say

this:

“Note: I always feel a little bit uneasy when I see pics where a person who has built up their

first studio has this 4,000 pound oak desk that will hold their gear and what not. I always

wonder how this person is going to find the sweet spot in the room when they need a crane to

move their studio monitors.”

I see many people who start putting up their first wall before they record their first track. To

me this is a total mistake. It's crazy for a beginner with no real clear understanding of what

they need (and don't need) to begin massive construction on a home studio. Even if “light”

construction is intended, it always has a way of becoming heavy construction, in one way or

another.

I started in my bedroom. For months, this was a great way to get familiar with recording

software, work out bugs with the audio interface, get my computer set up, and conquer many

of the remedial tasks that must be dealt with before any serious music-making can actually

begin. (Most of the stuff this book focuses on, actually.)

I was given access to an 8'x12'x8' room which I ran a snake to from my bedroom. My

bedroom served as my “control room” (which is a hell of a stretch of the definition of the

word). I threw out a bunch of junk from my bedroom and converted a fairly large closet into a

vocal booth by stapling scraps of carpet onto the walls (avoid carpet like the plague!). I

214

quickly found out two things.

A) Drums sound like crap in a 8x12x8 room.

B) Vocal booths in closets sound boxy and boomy unless the acoustic treatment is done

properly. Even worse, a vocal booth will get extremely hot without a custom air conditioning

solution.

This article is not a rant on small drum rooms and it is not a rant against vocal booths (I'm

generally against both). This rant is about the fact that I put so much time in the construction

end of the my little drum room and vocal booth and it was all a complete waste of time. I was

an idiot! Correction. I AM an idiot!

Let me explain. I read online (not a great source when it comes to quality recording

information) that no walls should be parallel in rooms in which you are tracking. This one

happens to be true more or less. The online article went on to say that if two walls happen to

be parallel, absorbers should be used on one of the walls and it is better to distribute the

absorption throughout the room than to just cover one wall in insulation. All this is true.

Based on this tiny fraction of the required information I went to work building little absorbers.

Of course, I wasn't aware of absorption coefficients of egg crate foam!

I'm sure I never even bothered to learn what absorption coefficients were until I hated the

sound of my recordings. I went to work building absorbers that I thought of myself (don't do

this!). I glued sleeping pad style egg crate foam onto pieces of Styrofoam and covered them

in fabric. They didn't look half bad. In fact they looked better than what I use now. Then I

covered my entire room in a checkerboard style with these egg crate absorbers. That didn't

look half bad, either. I used fragments of carpet padding on the ceiling and covered those

with fabric. You get the idea. I took a 4'x8' sheet of plywood and curved it to break up

reflections on one wall and I built this stud frame thing above it to house a fancy mount for my

snake and diffusers (which didn't really work either).

215

There was a big problem with all of this. I did all this fancy work and didn't take into account

THE ROOM WAS UNACCEPTABLY SMALL (8' x 12' x 8')!!!! I could barely fit a drum set into

the stupid thing. Drummers had trouble getting behind their kit. From an acoustics

standpoint this was a total nightmare. Even though I had built all these “absorbers” I still had

a problem of this low frequencies ringing. I'm guessing it was at 150Hz, give or take. You

could hear the low end reverb just swirling around the entire room completely out of control

At the time, I didn't know what it was.

This is my entire point for this section! Unless you're aware of the problems your construction

will cause, don't build! If you don't know what a standing wave is, do not building anything! If

you've not read at least two books on acoustics, do not build anything!

When taking on a construction gig, you end up buying things you didn't ever considering

buying. When I said I wanted a drum room, I didn't think about the purchase of Liquid Nails

for the acoustic absorbers, real metal nails for the my stud frame thing, paintbrushes or

staples for the carpet. I just thought I was going to have a drum room. The End.

While I learned a considerable amount about construction from this little project, I learned

something else. I don't want to learn construction! I want to be a recording guy! I wasted

away hour after hour after hour building a room that was barely suitable as a vocal booth,

much less a drum room. Actually, from my standards today, it was not suitable as a vocal

booth. Even with all the absorption, it was way too live of a room in the low mids and low end

for me to get the kind of vocals I need. I would have to use blankets aggressively (even more

than when tracking vocals in my larger control room).

The sad part is I could have learned all of these recording lessons with 1/100th work and with

1/500th the bucks. If I could go back, I would have started recording in those rooms without

doing a single thing in terms of construction. Nothing! Any place I thought would be a

problem for reflections I would have stapled a blanket to the wall and moved on. You may be

216

asking “Do blankets absorb low frequencies?”. No, they don't. Neither did my pretty

absorbers which are now resting in that grand landfill in the sky. (Neither does studio foam.) I

would have learned the same lessons in about two hours of stapling that I learned in 200+

hours of sanding, sweating, sawing, stapling, panting, painting, etc.

I'm not trying to make you aware of every single pitfall in the way of building a recording

studio room. That would be an entire book in itself and really I don't think I'm qualified to write

that particular book. I've only screwed up a few rooms. We would want someone who had

screwed up a few hundred rooms to write that book. However, it is my goal to make you

aware of the fact that this construction business is a bigger deal than you might think and

designing a recording studio is a bigger deal than you think. Even if you are a great

carpenter, you are probably going to build a bad place to record in unless you are extremely

lucky, have incredible insight for predicting workflow requirements, and have a solid

understanding of constructing rooms with even room modes and minimal standing waves.

It just doesn't make sense to build, learn your lesson, rebuild, learn your lesson, rebuild.

There are ultra cheap, ultra fast ways of achieving practically the same exact thing that allow

you to jump right into recording even if they are not as shiny as you had originally envisioned.

From there you can build up a knowledge bank of things you wish you had in a room and

things you wish you didn't. This “knowledge bank” only comes from real world experience of

hanging microphones in the room and hitting the red button. Major issues that come up are

inadequate control rooms causing poor acoustics causing a poor studio monitoring system

which leads to mixes that rock on your studio monitors but suck everywhere else. Another

major problem is drum rooms that are too small or too dead. Of course, a person could solve

both problems (small drum room and small control room) by using one big control room /

drum room. This is not something you see often in big boy land, but we aren't in big boy land.

We have limited supplies of cash and resources. (YOU still have some kind of grounding in

reality.) It's not a bad solution if you understand the problem.

217

Hold Off On Construction

If you are absolutely dying to put together a pretty little recording room with all the

stereotypical decorations (egg crate studio foam, lava lamps, blah blah blah) I really can't do

much to stop you. I'm not an interior decorator. I'm an audio engineer. I will always take

sound and function over form. However, if you can muster up the will power, force yourself to

record X number of albums or X number of bands before you do any major overhauling.

You'll be able to incorporate all the lessons you've learned into these improvements and come

out with better sounding recordings for less money without making all the big mistakes I have

made.

The Robo Basics of Soundproofing

Introduction

I want to make it clear that this book is not a studio construction book and I'm certainly not an

expert on this topic. The goal is to get you going with the basic concepts and if you desire

you can pursue soundproofing in greater depth later from the experts. More importantly, I just

don't want you to waste $2,500 on something stupid!

Acoustic Treatment vs. Soundproofing

We go through great lengths to get our instruments to sound great and get the room to sound

great. Soundproofing has nothing to do with “sounding great”. Soundproofing is a way we

knock the sound down after we have used it so that we don't tick off parents, neighbors, etc.

While we certainly can't ignore the real-world issues of what to do with all this loud noise we

are making while recording, there are no direct benefits to soundproofing that we will hear in

our recordings. That's not what soundproofing does. With all things being equal, our

instruments will not sound any different before or after soundproofing.

218

People like to look at studio foam and the various tactics we use to control the reflections in

the room as methods to keep the neighbors happy. Bass traps, studio foam, floating floors,

etc are all things we use to control the quantity and tonality of the sound bouncing around

within the room, but those things make no appreciable effect on how much sound gets out of

the room.

Make sure you clarify between acoustic treatment and soundproofing.

How Soundproofing Works

We measure audio volume (SPL) in decibels. This number actually indicates the pressure of

sound waves in the room. We could compare sound pressure in our live room to the air

inside a balloon. When we blow up a balloon, the air inside the balloon has nowhere to go,

the pressure increases, and the balloon begins to expand. The same exact thing occurs

when we hit a snare drum. The sound waves pressurize the room. Since the room can't

increase in size, the pressure in that room increases. Of course, we aren't really too worried

about the loudness in the room so much. We are more concerned with the loudness that gets

out of the room and into our neighbors' ears. So, just like a balloon, we need to make sure

our room has no leaks.

I like this simple philosophy: If your room is nuclear-safe, it's probably sound-proofed too.

No, I don't mean that the commies could drop a nuclear weapon on your house and you'd

survive. That's pretty much impossible. I mean that if you could survive the nuclear radiation

that followed, you'd be in good shape in regard to soundproofing. Sound energy and nuclear

radiation energy have a way of traveling in similar ways. This means that you want no quick

and easy leaks from the outside world to your recording room (and vice versa). Stuff like air

conditioning / heating vents, leaky windows, etc are all prime spots where sound could exit

your studio or nuclear radiation could get in.

219

Just like radiation particles, you want sound waves to have to go through as much mass as

possible. Enough inches of solid concrete will pretty much stop gamma radiation dead in its

tracks. It's safe to say that sound waves are similar. It would take several feet of dirt to

accomplish the same task. The idea is to surround your fortress with enough material so that

any sound waves that are exiting the building will be absorbed by the material around it. After

taking the tour of Blackbird Studios, which is the biggest studio in Nashville, I remember the

studio manager saying their concrete walls were essentially thick enough to survive radiation,

so there you go!

I'm speaking in robo-ideal terms. But just in case you haven't gotten the drift, the most ideal

place to put a recording studio room that must be totally sound-proofed is in Bugs Bunny's

house. If you could place your live room underground with about five feet of dirt on top of the

studio with just a little ladder to climb in and out, it's a safe bet that the cops would never be

beating on your hatch.

For those of us who don't have nuclear-safe capabilities and don't know Bugs Bunny home

construction techniques, we may have to find more realistic ways to keep sound from

escaping our places. In the end, the concepts are the same. It's difficult to keep extremely

loud sounds in the standard American home. They are not designed to be perfectly sound-

proofed. However; stopping leaks, controlling sound transfer, and adding mass are common

ways of knocking the amount of sound leaving your studio down to realistic levels.

Sound Transfer

If you were to leave the tip of a metal poker in a fire long enough, grabbing the handle will

burn you. The heat energy from that tip will make its way up to the handle and make it hot

enough to roast the flesh right off your little hand. Sound energy works the same exact way

and it can do it in more varied materials than you may realize.

220

I remember going to a home construction site with a friend. There was a long, metal I-beam

that ran the length of the entire house. I was on one end and my buddy was on the other

end. When he tapped the metal beam, it sounded like he was just an inch away. In fact, he

was about 50 feet way. The energy of striking the metal transferred easily through the metal

I-beam. You can witness the same effects while swimming underwater. Acoustical energy

can travel through distances that seem crazy under water compared to the way that sound

travels through air.

It's no big deal at all for the sound of a pounded drum kit to shake a drywall sheet which is

connected to 2x4 studs. Once a single stud is excited by this acoustical energy the entire

house will resonate and can actually make the drum sound louder! This means the entire

house is essentially resonating to the sound of those drums and little is being done to stop

this transfer of energy into the air and into your neighbor's ears.

You need to really understand this concept of energy being able to change forms like some

kind of X-Men mutant. The best way to control such a mutant is isolation. You may have

heard of a “room within a room” concept. It's simple. You build a room like you more or less

normally would. Then you build another room inside it with as much isolation (in regard to

sound transfer) as possible. The little room should not touch the bigger room in any way

including the floor.

This is the equivalent of taking the I-beam mentioned above and cutting it in half and moving

the two pieces three inches apart. When my friend taps the I-beam, the energy travels down

the length of the I-beam and then comes to an abrupt halt at the cut. When the tapping used

to travel all the way down to my ears, it was easy to hear the tapping. Now that the I-beam is

cut, that energy would have to “transform” to “air energy” (I told you I wasn't an expert on this

stuff!) to travel the three inches and then convert back into “metal energy” to make it to my

ears. Obviously, this is going to drastically reduce the ability of that metal I-beam to transfer

sound.

221

This concept is similar to hiring the government to take care of a specific need. Money goes

out of your pocket and into the government bank account. The money is converted to

government power. Then a tiny portion of the money goes to what was actually supposed to

be built.

With our room within a room idea, it's best to think of it as a cube within a cube. This means

that all 6 walls need to be isolated from the larger room. Yes, this means the floor, too. This

is achieved with a process called “floor floating”. This has other benefits in addition to

soundproofing, but the idea is to keep the kick drum or bass cabinet on the floor from shaking

the main level floor (under our floated floor). Floor floating is a subject I know little about, but

I've seen people use rubber to isolate the floated floor from the actual floor. I'm sure some

energy gets through with this setup, but I'm sure there are gigantic gains when converting the

“wood energy” to “rubber energy” (a very inefficient transferring medium) and then back to

“wood energy” of the bottom floor before it converts to “concrete energy” and shakes the

entire floor of the building (when applicable).

You should do more research on this “room within a room” concept because it can provide

huge soundproofing benefits. Obviously, a room costs more to construct and the final room

will be smaller, but the end result is fairly economical especially if you must choose between

recording tonight or spending the night in jail.

Most people who employ the room within a room method effectively are very happy with the

level of isolation they achieve. Some people will take it a step further and actually mount

double layers of drywall on their studs. This additional mass requires more sound pressure to

excite the room.

Another trick is to use staggered studs. Basically, you want to use a wider frame than you

normally would when building your stud wall. So if you would normally use a 2x4 on the

222

bottom and top, you now use a 2x6. Then you build your stud wall the way you normally

would except that the first, third, fifth, etc stud should be placed so that they are touching the

drywall on the inside wall and the second, fourth, sixth, etc studs are touching the drywall on

the outside wall. The idea is to make it more difficult for the studs to transfer energy from one

room to another.

Alternative Construction Materials and Methods

I remember reading about Steve Albini using an adobe-like material to build the inside of his

studio. According to Steve, this adobe-like material had the rare quality of being beneficial

both to the room acoustics inside the room and soundproofing to keep sound from escaping

the room. I don't remember much about it, he gave an endorsement for the otherwise secret

material. Steve Albini is located near Chicago, so apparently this material isn't limited to

desert use. Check out his Electrical Audio site for details.

I'm sure there are many more creative ways to construct a soundproofed facility if you have

the inclination and knowledge to do so.

Soundproofing Realities

As you can see, soundproofing is expensive. It can be a fortune if your standards are high.

Before jumping in with any plan, you must realize that soundproofing must be comprehensive.

You can't soundproof one wall at a time. Either sound can't get out of the room or it can.

Low-end sound waves could escape through a single electric outlet and annoy neighbors in

all directions. Because of this and the nature of construction costs, soundproofing is out of

reach for most people recording at home.

It may be better for you to go with the cheapest form of soundproofing known to man.. none!

Being responsible and turning your amps down will do wonders. Arranging specific noisy

223

times with the neighbors is one of the best ways to get around soundproofing costs. The

difference between a guitar amp on 3 vs. 4 is quite a bit in dB but usually very subtle in terms

of recorded tone. (Actually, we did a Interrogation on this one in Killer Home Recording:

Electric Guitar.) Drums is a different story. If soundproofing is a major issue, it may be time

to look at the modern e-drum or sample options out there. I use them from time to time with

enormous success and none of the annoyances of the real thing. The modern way of using

drum samples and guitar emulators may not be as sexy as doing it the old fashioned way, but

there is no mistaking how infinitely more practical these modern tools can be.

Avoiding Electrical Noise

Some facilities have noise in their electric outlets. For those of us who are lucky enough not

to have problems with hum, whine and ground loops, we should consider ourselves lucky. I

am definitely no expert on studio construction and because I've never really dealt with the

problem of electrical noise first hand, my advice on the subject won't be as comprehensive as

I'd like.

Star Grounding

The number one cause of noise is ground loops and the number one cause of ground loops is

using multiple grounds. It's important that all of your recording gear utilize the same ground.

When possible I run all powered musical instruments to this same ground as well. This is

achieved by simply using the same electrical outlet for everything.

If you are wiring your studio from the ground up, it’s a simple matter to wire a grounding grid

discretely to the outlets. This cuts out some nastiness that can come from outside appliances

that they’d otherwise be sharing a ground with.

If you had 14 100 watt Marshall heads running, you may run into a problem with pulling too

much electricity for a single breaker. However, I've never had a problem running my

recording rig and a few amplifiers off the same breaker. If you are running a large console

and lots of outboard gear, you may pull too much for a stock breaker. In that case, it may be

224

time to consult an electrician about your options.

Ground Lifts

If excessive noise is a problem, using a ground lift within the equipment itself can reduce the

noise. While it's generally not recommended for safety reasons, using a 2-prong to 3-prong

adapter will lift the ground for the entire circuit. In a pinch I have done this before on remote

gigs and lived to tell about it. I'm not sure you'll be so lucky.

Isolation Transformers

While not cheap, isolation transformers can dramatically reduce the noise in an electric

system. Isolation transformers work in a way that isn't too far removed from using balanced

cables.

Noise Troubleshooting

If these methods for dealing with electrical noise don't reduce the noise to acceptable levels, I

immediately recommend you take an evening, pack up your rig, and head to a buddy's house.

This is a method of troubleshooting to ensure that the problem is indeed your wall outlet and

not something else. As with all troubleshooting, take careful note of anything that may have

changed between your buddy's house and your house to ensure you have isolated the

problem to being an electrical issue. If your rig works great at your friend's house, it's fairly

safe to say that the problem is indeed electrical.

Potential Causes of Electrical Noise In Audio

In order to save you from tearing your hair out the next time you encounter noise, here are a

few typical causes of noise and buzz.

• Space heaters

• CRT computer monitors

• Fluorescent lighting

• Light Dimmers

225

• Cellphones

• Poor Electrical Wiring, poor grounding

• Excessively Long Wiring (from outlet to breaker)

• Lighting wiring and Outlet Wiring run too close together

• AC Adapters (especially with guitar pedals)

• Cables run to close to AC Adapters

• Ground loops

• Lack of Shielding

• Crackly pots (knobs) on preamps

• Poor wiring on electric guitars and basses

• Instrument cables run across electric cables

• Battery Chargers

• Electric Motors

• Radar/Radio Transmitters, CB radios

Alternatives To Light Dimmers

In the event that you require the ability to dim the lights in your studio, there are alternatives

to conventional light dimmers; which we've already established as being obvious causes of

noise.

Variable Autotransformer (aka VARIAC)

There are essentially two types of dimmers. There are the noisy dimmers which essentially

shorten the amount of time the lighting gets its voltage. Remember, that a standard light build

in a home in the United States is flickering 60 times per second. By making these flickers

shorter, the light doesn't shine as bright. This causes noise. A variable autotransfomer style

dimmer does not play with the amount of time the light receives it's voltage. It simply reduces

the amount of voltage going to the light. They are considered to be noise free and perfectly

acceptable for recording studio use.

226

Don't Dim

Do you really need continuously variable lighting adjustment? What if you had just had a few

steps of lighting. In other words, what if you could turn off the main lights and simply use a

small lamp or may be an array of softer lighting? In other words, why not have five different

lights connected to five different switches. You can then control the amount of light in your

room by simply flipping the desired switches.

I personally like to leave Christmas lights hung up all year long in the studio room. Is it cheap

and tacky? Definitely! Do I like it? Definitely!

How Pretty Should My Studio Be?

How pretty does my studio need to be? This is a question that we all ask ourselves when we

jump into this recording thing. A studio is as much a room and a facility as a collection of gear

and it's hard to deny that aesthetics have an impact on our moods and therefore our music, at

least to a certain degree.

With that said, I think there is this implication that, in order to be a “real” studio, you must

have some kind of elite interior decorator design some kind of post-modern, new age

whatever. (I'm so out of my element in describing fancy architecture and interior design that I

have no idea how to describe what I'm talking about.) I'm talking about the kind of studios

that make the cover of Mix Magazine. These studios have no grounding in reality. If your dad

owns Halliburton, maybe you can afford something like this. If you so desire, knock yourself

out. However, don't feel for even half a second that you absolutely require a robo fancy

facility in order to make killer music or to work with killer musicians.

Real studios are ugly. They have problems. Real studios get banged up. Coffee gets spilled.

Controlled substances become uncontrolled. You get the idea.

You don't have to be a subscriber of Tape Op for very long to see some very impressive

engineers working in facilities that aren't so aesthetically impressive when compared to the

Mix Magazine covers. I can't count the times I've read articles of engineers who did solo

albums for Keith Richards or maybe did a few records with Elton John and did them in what

227

are essentially dumps or garages. It does happen!

I'll come out and say it. My studio looks terrible. Like most engineers who are in this for the

right reasons, each and every improvement I have made was done so with sound in mind. I

have to turn down clients because I can't handle the load. While a part of me certainly wants

to move up in the world, if my potential clients need a picture or tour of my studio before they

will work with me, I immediately tell them no. Too bad. Go somewhere else. Not everyone

will have this attitude, but it's working for me.

In the end you are going to go where your budget and desires take you. However, not

everyone wants to record an album in a place that feels more like a modern museum exhibit.

Some guys will take the pickup truck over the Rolls-Royce any day. People have certainly

walked into my facility and said “Really?.....okay”. Later on, after the recording goes well they

tell me they love the fact that they don't feel intimidated at my place. They feel comfortable.

They aren't worried about spilling their beer or breaking some kind of rare antique. I don't

have any rare antiques.

Make your studio as fancy as you want to, but it had better sound good. Real musicians (the

kind of people you really want to record) love a place with character. Gigging musicians are

used to playing shows in sweaty, smoky bars with urine and beer all over the floor every

Saturday. So if you are insecure about having a not-so-pretty place, forget about it! Have

fun. If you really want to make your place fancy, go for it. Just make sure you don't rule out

the people with more humble tastes.

Form Is Function

I asked Michael Wagener why he had so many damn lava lamps in his studio. I wondered

why he had the TV on with no sound. He basically said to your average musician, the studio

can be the most boring place on Earth at times and if the room is dynamic, you can work

longer. It was a new concept to me, but it made total sense.

While my studio is certainly not going to win any design awards, I always struggle for

maximum function. I've found that I like to cover the walls in stuff and it does increase a

band's attention span. What kind of stuff? Anything interesting! I have all the cds I've done

228

that were printed up on the walls. I have Darth Tater, Indian Jones Tater, Spinning Kicking

Leonardo Ninja Turtle, posts, signs, political propaganda, etc. I basically try to emulate the

restaurants that cover their walls in crap only my stuff is actually good. (If you haven't seen

Mr. Potatohead dressed like Darth Vader, you haven't lived!)

Regardless of the design you decide to go with, make sure the walls aren't boring. Put stuff

there that is dynamic or put so much junk on the walls that a person wouldn't be able to look

at all of it one session. By keeping your clients from getting bored while you are doing the

boring stuff, both you and your clients will be much happier, more alert, it will be less likely for

mistakes to slip through, and have more fun.

Gobo Construction

There are many times when it's desirable to increase isolation between all the instruments.

While I always try to record live bands with zero isolation, it's hard to find a band that won't

want to punch in a note here or make an edit there. This is where isolation comes in. In the

home recording environment (and even in many big studios) it's not practical or musically

beneficial to put each person in their own isolation booth. Sometimes you've just got to place

gobos around the various instruments and hope for the best.

On the RecordingReview.com forum, there were plans for gobo construction. I was

immediately skeptical. Why do you need special info for gobo construction? It's a fairly

straightforward concept. You put stuff in between the instruments to reduce the amount of

bleed. In this particular case, the gobo plans were actually plans for Helmholtz resonators (a

form of bass traps) that offered no real advantage in terms of soundproofing. So, it looks like I

need to set the record straight on what a gobo is, what it is trying to achieve, and give you

some insight to create your own.

A typical application for a gobo is to separate two electric guitar amps. Let's say we have two

4x12 cabinets. While we could just set them 3' apart and accept the bleed, we are going to

assume that the band has ruled out this kind of production. We need to isolate them.

If 100% isolation is required, it's pretty obvious what we need to do. We need to place one

cabinet in China and one cabinet in Florida and hit record. If we don't have distance, we want

229

to build the Berlin Wall between these two cabinets as a gigantic fortress is going to isolate

the sound more effectively than placing a 1” square in front of each microphone. In reality, we

don't need to get nearly that crazy with it. The idea behind gobos is not necessarily to

achieve 100% isolation. Other than the distance mentioned above the only real way to do

that is to construct separate rooms that have been designed to be isolated. So gobos are

more there to reduce the bleed between instruments. They aren't trying to work miracles.

With that said, you'd be amazed at how effective a relatively crude solution can be for

reducing bleed.

With our gobos we are looking for a few things. We want them to be inexpensive. We want

them to be dense enough to a block a “good” amount of sound but probably not as much as

the Berlin Wall. We need them to be portable (within the studio at least). We need them to

be fairly wide and fairly tall so that the sound has to go all away around the gobo to get into

the other guy's mic. We don't want them to be overly reflective because we don't want super

fast reflections getting back into our mic causing comb filtering.

Rockwool

My favorite solution for this is fabric wrapped 2' x 4' x 4” Rockwool pieces. The wrapping part

isn't fun, but the amount of absorption is unparalleled. Instead of using all out density like a

concrete wall would use to reflect sound, it absorbs it. This rules out any problems with comb

filtering with the sound of the instrument reflecting off a reflective gobo and back into the

microphone. Rockwool is fairy dense. Best of all, Rockwool absorbs down to very low

frequencies so the possibility of bass shooting through your gobo is fairly small. Because of

their dimensions, it's easy to stack Rockwool gobos or built little mini forts around guitar amps

and such.

Plywood

The most popular method I see in big studios is to use a piece of relatively thick plywood on

wheels. The plywood usually has some kind of absorbing material attached to it to reduce

reflections. These don't necessarily have to be overkill. A little absorption goes a long way.

While maybe not ideal for small rooms, unwanted sound must travel well out of it's way to get

230

around the 4'x8' dimensions of a typical piece of plywood. Even relatively thin plywood is

dense enough to significantly reduce the amplitude of any sound waves attempting to go

through it. You'll have to come up with a creative way to stack your plywood gobos as it's not

always immediately obvious how you would want to break them up into smaller sections. I've

had great luck with a simple 4'x8' sheet of plywood with blanket tossed over the top. This is

my go-to method for finger picked acoustic guitar.

Blankets

I wouldn't go so far as to call a blanket a gobo. However, lets just say we are recording two

acoustic guitar players simultaneously and we want to reduce the bleed between them.

Simply tossing a blanket on a mic stand and setting it in between the two players is going to

go a long way towards minimizing the crosstalk. Granted, we may define “long” differently. I

don't come from a school of thought that says that everything needs to be 100% isolated.

Sometimes minimizing the amount of junk in the other guy's mic by 20% is all that is needed.

I'll save the pro-bleed discussion for a later time. Just be advised that blankets certainly have

their place.

Misc Stuff

In the end, you can reduce bleed between two instruments with just about anything. A couch

cushion works well if you can get it in the right spot. A table on its side is excellent. In a bind,

even clothes on a hangar can be useful. None of these are perfect solutions, but after seeing

some of the crude makeshift contraptions created in some of the big time studios I've been in,

it's obvious that whatever gets you through the sessions is fine. No one will know you used a

Taco Bell wrapper around that Neumann when the record is done.

231

Ideas For The Ultra Broke Recorder-

This section is meant for people attempting to record on a shoestring budget. This section is

about stretching the dollar as far as possible in situations where our cash quantity may not be

ideal. I'm not necessarily recommending that you don't purchase an audio interface or a

condenser mic as I'd be totally lost without either of these. I'm simply trying to help those who

aren't in a position to follow my “ideal situation” advice.

It's important to jump in and start recording now. If you are the kind of person who truly

enjoys recording, you'll have almost as much fun doing it with a boombox and a karaoke

microphone as you would in a gigantic SSL studio. You may even have more fun with the

boombox!

So for the financially challenged, this section is about what you can do. You may be

surprised.

Q Do I really need a condenser mic?:

A: The answer is no. While condenser mics are extremely useful for many tasks, there are

no situations where a condenser is absolutely required. Dynamic mics are very useful. In

more cases than you probably realize, they are preferred. Mics like the Shure SM57, Shure

SM7B, Sennheiser MD-421 and AKG D112 are classics regardless of their comparatively low

price tag.

Dynamic mics are are useful on a ton of sources. On a tight budget, feel confident that you

can make a great sounding record with nothing but dynamics. While ideally speaking it would

be nice to have some nice condensers for certain things, even I'm surprised by how good an

album made entirely with dynamic mics can sound.

You would be surprised by the sound of some of the $30-40 condensers on the market. I'm

confident that in a blind test, enough RecordingReview.com members would choose a $30

Behringer over my $2,600 Soundelux U99 in any given situation that it may shock you.

232

Real Mics

You definitely need “real” microphones. Imaginary microphones don't really pick up sound!

The semi-imaginary microphones like you see in headsets or that come bundled with

computers are generally unacceptable. In some cases, you'd be better off recording into your

cell phone than recording with some of these mic. Take a hard look at some of the mega-

budget, yet real microphones designed for home recording.

Q Can I use my stock soundcard?:

A: Sure. You'll need a mixer capable of sending separate signals to a headphone mix and a

separate signal to an audio interface. Just about any mixer with RCA ins/outs and decent

routing will work. The standard jack size for stock soundcards is 1/8” and they are very

notorious for being terribly unreliable jacks, but this is more of a pet peeve of mine than the

consensus. You'll have to do all of your monitoring through the mixer. This means that

latency will be a true 0ms, but it also means you can't take advantage of compression, reverb,

or delay within your recording software during tracking for headphone mixes. You won't be

able to take advantage of the various guitar emulators out there either and if you plan to use

synths/samples within the computer you can count on big latency. This alone is worth the

price of a real, low-latency audio interface in my opinion.

It's safe to say that the typical AD converters in a stock soundcard are lacking and there will

probably be an improvement in sound quality with an audio interface.

If you are on a micro-budget and you have a capable mixer collecting dust, this is a great way

to jump in. Again, it's not ideal or even recommended, but it's a first step. If a pro engineer

had to use a stock soundcard, you would be floored by the results. So don't feel held back by

your budget gear!

There is a driver that often helps stock soundcards perform dramatically better. It's called

ASIO4All. Make sure to check it out.

233

Q Do I really need studio monitors?:

An accurate studio monitoring system that you are robo familiar with is required if you

absolutely need your tracks to sound great on as many audio systems as possible. If you are

just getting started or really record music for the fun of making and not because it'll sound

great in you buddy's truck, it really doesn't matter if you record on consumer grade

headphones, a boom box, or $5,000 ADAM studio monitors.

I've made my views of the importance of studio monitoring quite clear in the Accurate Studio

Monitoring chapter of Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering. If the cash isn't there, I

understand. When you win the lottery, make it a priority!

Note: The current crop of studio monitor headphones are very impressive.

Q Do I really need a pop filter?:

A: If you are recording vocals, Yes! Pop filters do so much more than simply block the

plosives from getting into the mic (as if that wasn't enough). Pop filters are a great way to

keep your singers at the desired distance from the mic. The proximity effects plays a huge

part in how sound is captured and a pop filter is a necessity for keeping the proximity effect

working in your favor.

There are various options and models out there. The conventional nylon pop filter works well.

The fancier Stedman costs quite a bit more and you'll be surprised by how simple it is when

you pay the big bucks for it. I figured I could build it for $3 at Lowe’s, but that may be pushing

it. Considering this is about 1/14th of what I paid for it, it would have been worth attempting to

build it yourself.

For people on a tiny budget, the pantyhose over the coat hanger does work. I wouldn't call it

ideal, but it will effectively block plosives. I've seen people who used those circle hoop

thingies used in cross stitching very effectively as an alternative to a bent up coat hanger. As

for the mounting system, I greatly prefer keeping the pop filter on it's own mic stand (if you

have an extra when doing vocals). So I would consider maybe buying a clip for an SM57 and

attempt to glue the pop filter onto it somehow so that the pop filter can be removed when the

stand is in use for something else but no fancy goose neck device is necessary.

234

I once loaned out my pop filters and I was impressed by how effectively a pencil held onto the

microphone via rubber band worked in a pinch. It did nothing for the proximity effect, but it

definitely did block plosives.

Maxing Out An Old Computer

In the event that you don't have the latest cutting edge beast of a computer, don't fret. It's

very possible to make killer recordings with an old PC by todays standards. People have

been doing multi-track recordings with computers since the late 1990s. Fortunately for the

mega broke, computers from just a few years ago can be acquired for basement prices. For

about $100 on the used market, you can get a computer that would smoke the computer I

was using to make a living on in my recording studio back in 2004.

Regardless of whether a computer is brand new or 10 years old, I always recommend

following all the steps in Computer Performance Optimization.

Computer Performance Hogs

There are some performance hogs you'll want to be leery of if you are using an old computer.

You can probably get away with any of these individually, but as you use more and more of

them you will dramatically increase the likelihood that your computer is going to bog down.

Super low latency

I've made it clear that I greatly prefer to monitor within my recording software. I love giving

singers compression and reverb in their headphones. I love being able to hear exactly what

they are hearing, etc. If I was using an old computer, I may have to ditch this notion and

monitor via hardware or make sure that I'm using practically zero CPU power on my rough

mixes during tracking. I did it this way for years so it wouldn't exactly be the end of the world.

235

Synths In The Box

I love using synths in the box. They sound great and I don't have to deal with routing them

back into the computer like I do when using hardware synthesizers. In order to play synths

real time via a MIDI controller, the latency must be set very low. This adds to the computer's

load. Synths themselves can range from being light to extreme heavy on CPU load

themselves. If computer power is at an absolute minimum, you may be better off using a

hardware synth.

Software Samplers

Software samplers have revolutionized the world of home recording on many levels and have

greatly expanded musical possibilities. For that, they are great. However, they tend to be

heavy on computer performance (particularly RAM). Extravagant products using zillions of

samples are going to bog down an old slow computer.

Plugins

Plugins are another potential hog of CPU power. The more plugins you use, the greater your

chance of overworking your CPU.

Buy Used Gear When Possible

I recently watched a documentary about the possibility of going to Mars – If you are into this

sort of thing check out The Mars Underground. (For the record, we should absolutely go!)

They were worried sick about radiation from solar flares killing the astronauts due to

mechanical failures in the space shuttle. They were discussing ways of neutralizing or at

least minimizing the exposure of this radiation to astronauts and ensuring they don't turn into

roasted marshmallows. We home recorders, on the other hand, make noise. We then push a

button in order to capture this noise so that it can be repeated.

I could see where a no-compromise attitude towards 100% reliability would be a good idea

when hitching a ride to Mars. I'm not so sure that any government employee has ever had to

deliver an American flag and “the telegram” to the family of a home recorder because his

236

condenser mic wasn't detecting phantom power.

My point? My point is this home recording business is just a damn hobby. Even if you make

money (even serious money) there is never a crisis. You will never pull out an AKG

microphone, charge it up, and then slam on it on some child's chest to get their heart to start

beating again. Don't make this recording business out to be more important than it really is!

If a microphone stops working, big deal! Get it fixed. Sessions usually don't stop because of

one little piece of gear fails. Even if they do, someone gets a Saturday night to relax instead

of slaving over micro-details in bass tracks locking up with drums.

So, why not extend the quantity and quality of gear you can acquire by purchasing your gear

used? In all reality I can't say I've had too much problem with my used gear. In fact, my used

gear is often more reliable than the stuff I have purchased new. For people who make the

claim that brand new gear is reliable, I could always counter that used gear has had to stand

the test of time. Who's right? Who cares! I've had great luck with used gear and it's very

rare for me to even bother looking for anything new. Why? I don't want to pay extra to be the

guy that has to unwrap it from all the silly packaging! I'm guaranteed to at least be aware of

the resell value because I'm the guy that did the buying. Off hand, I can't think of a single item

in my control room that I wouldn't consider buying used instead of new. Maybe tissue paper.

Maybe!

So save a few bucks and max out your buying power.

Never Pay Interest Unless It s Profitable To Do So'

While it's not really a secret that I maxed out a few credit cards when I jumped face first into

home recording back when I was 21, I can't say that I recommend this course of action to

anyone unless they are serious about making music recording a career. Good luck with that.

The big boys have every link in their chain so strong that they are bored. They develop

fetishes and over-exaggerate the relatively minute differences in the way not-so-expensive

piece of gear #1 sounds versus how mega-expensive piece of gear #2 sounds. Many

frustrated home recorders shell out the cash on a credit card to buy this high end gear without

237

the necessary skills and experience to really get their money's worth out of that piece of gear

anyway.

Few things sicken me worse than hearing about people who record for fun and have made a

gigantic investment with their credit cards to make the most subtle of improvements in their

recordings. I think it is a huge mistake for any person to go into debt for preamps, converters,

and other pieces of high end recording gear upgrades. In fact, it's often a mistake for a

person in the recording business to upgrade to the high end gear at all. Simply put, there are

a lot of bad mixes being made with high end gear. The clients know what they want to sound

like and so far I haven't found a client who would give a damn whether I used my Vintech

1272, Trident S20, or my stock Presonus Firestudio preamps. I'm not saying you shouldn't go

for nice gear. However, I am saying that I haven't been able to charge more for my services

because of any single gear upgrade I have ever made! Maybe you'll have better luck than I

have.

Regardless of the effectiveness of the high end stuff, there is no denying that destructiveness

of the credit card companies owning your soul. If you decide that you need X high end gear,

buy it with cash. When you run into enough clients who are willing to pay quite a bit more to

say they used a Neve, maybe you are losing money if you don't upgrade. Until then, be

careful with your money. Quit paying interest!!!!

Always Have A Plan When Buying Gear

Putting together a home recording studio can get fairly complex. Everyone has different

needs and those needs often change over time. It's very possible to put together a rig that is

scalable to your demands. It's also very possible that you will buy one piece of gear and then

turn around and need to replace that piece of gear when your needs change.

A great example of this is with the number of simultaneous inputs on an audio interface. It's

very common for people to buy a two channel audio interface when they get started. Before

too long, they want to record drums or use elaborate miking schemes that use more than two

microphones. Of course, this requires the purchase of a new audio interface while the old

two channel audio interface spends its time on a dust collecting mission.

238

So, do your best to plan ahead for the foreseeable future. It's impossible to predict what the

future will hold, but putting a few units of noggin power into the decision could save you a

migraine.

Be Skeptical Of Outsider Advice

With this home recording gear business, you must be very careful of who you are taking

advice from. Just because another person happens to enjoy the notion of ruckus-capturing

doesn't mean they know what is best for you. In fact, what works for them may be flat out

wrong for you. So anytime a person says you really need this or that, take it with a grain of

salt unless that person is well-trusted and understands your specific needs.

The situation is compounded when you factor in that even robo pro engineers seldom agree

on their favorite mics, preamps, and converters. If one guy happens to be disappointed with

a piece of gear, take note. Maybe that guy is an idiot. Maybe that guy is expecting too much

out of a volume knob. Maybe that guy expects some serious benefit when he shells out

$2,000. Maybe the guy is a genius and his advice is dead on.

You Will Never Be Satisfied

When have you ever been entirely satisfied with anything? I don't know one single person

involved with music recording who says “I'm 100% satisfied with my gear”. It simply does not

happen. I'm not sure if this is some kind of naturally occurring phenomenon or some kind of

marketing mind control, but you will always have a list of recording gear you want. It's a

given.

Because you will never be satisfied, don't ever expect a piece of gear to fulfill you. It won't! It

may solve a problem you have been having or it may improve one aspect of the recording

process, but don't expect to feel complete. My chosen words here are important. What are

you really looking for by purchasing X new product? Are you looking to solve a specific

problem? Or are you simply looking for some random kind of fulfillment? If your life isn't

complete, don't expect the inside of a UPS box to do the completing for you. I'd give this a

0% chance.

239

If you are looking to compensate for some kind of psychological shortcomings with the green

stuff, I recommend you stop reading this stupid book right now, write a song, record it and

toss it on Bash This Recording at RecordingReview.com. If that doesn't work, Tony Robbins

or equivalent may be able to help.

Get A Used Standalone Recorder

If you are in the market for a standalone recorder, I'd recommend going used. Why? I'll tell

you why! Farrah Fawcett! Sure, I was born in 1980 and my only real experience with the

chick were reruns on TBS back when I was a young lad. Jump on Google Images and

search for Farrah. You'll find all the old pics where she was debatably the hottest chick on

planet. (I know some dudes prefer that other Charlie's Angels chick.) Keep looking. You'll

find pics of her where it looks like someone had an accident with the combination of an

excessively acidic chemical and a land mine.

I've got another example. Britney Spears.

I've got another example. BETA tapes. I'm talking about the loser of the VHS vs BETA

struggle for dominance in the home viewing entertainment industry back in a day when if you

said DVD people thought you had misspelled the name of a brand of underwear.

Alright: enough fun Let's get down to the chase. With standalone recorders it's really easy to

get sucked in by the glamor that was Farrah, Britney, and BETA in their peak. However,

sometimes the fall from that peak isn't so glamorous. By snagging a standalone recorder

after its heyday, you have a clear idea of what is going to happen when this standalone

recorder isn't the hottest thing.

When all the magic around this standalone recorder is gone, will you be able to get support?

What happens when musiciansfriend.com quits selling the unit? With a used standalone

recorder, you will definitely know if you can actually get support for it because you can do a

search right now. You know if the recorder will last by the communities online that use them.

My point is that some relatively old technology will still be great years down the road. Other

technology will turn into a Britney Spears nut case. Do yourself a favor and go with a unit that

has already proven itself in the test against time. Oh yeah, in the process you'll save a small

240

fortune.

Pirated Recording Software Why I Don t Use It: '

Illegal downloading is a popular activity these days. Off the top of my head, there are a few

reasons (outside of the fact that it’s against the law and effectively stealing) to buy the real

stuff and not just download it. I'm not preaching here. I'm giving semi-objective advice on

some reasons that I think downloaded software is more expensive than just buying it.

#1 Reliability

In order to get software to function without a dongle or other security measures, they have to

hack it. I've heard so many horror stories of people getting unreliable, glitchy hacked versions

that I couldn't imagine further complicating a sometimes already complicated process.

Getting a recording rig to run at maximum performance is a huge undertaking for some. Why

in the world would you want to push the issue even further using software that is wounded

right from the start?

#2 No Updates

Few software manufacturers get it right the first time. It's very common to release updates,

bug fixes, improved driver implementation, etc. Cubase SX3's update fixed practically

everything for me. Without these updates, you will probably be dealing with more issues of

reliability than you ever intended. This doesn't sound that bad, but just wait until you are in

the middle of battle. Wait until you are in the heat of the moment in the middle of a big mix

and the computer locks up.

#3 Support

You will have problems. You will need help with something eventually. I know that the

Cubase.net forum requires you to enter your serial # / dongle key thingy immediately after

registration. I'd assume they are not the only manufacturer of audio recording software to

require you to register before receiving support.

241

#4 Self-Motivation

No human ever appreciates a freebie.

There is too much effort that goes into setting up a computer rig. When things go wrong, it's

just human nature to scrap it and take an easier path. However, if a person has shelled out

$X for their rig, they will have no other choice but to work it out or they risk losing their money.

Tapping into this "survival mode" that all humans have is worth the price of the software,

alone. It's just easier to go watch a movie or play a video game than it is to setup a recording

rig. So, you had better be motivated to get it going. If you are unwilling to make the initial

investment of a few hundred bucks, forget about the investment of thousands of hours of

time, work, frustration, and more work. You simply aren't cut out for this kind of thing.

#5 Research

There is a big tendency for people who are getting a freebie not to do the research required

when buying high-end software. There are certain features and traits that may or may not

work with what you are doing. When all you have to do is double click on a file and have

software in a day or two, it takes this part out of the equation. The last thing you want to do is

take the time to install, possibly troubleshoot, and learn recording software that doesn't meet

your needs.

#6 The Engineering Commitment

Like some kind of “Oath of the Brotherhood”, I made a commitment back in 2001 that I would

fight for the cause of better sounding recordings. In many ways I've succeeded, but at the

same time I still fight each and every day to get better. I've recorded over 1,000 songs. I've

spent tens of thousands of hours recording bands or myself. This is a lifelong process. Even

though I'm still not nearly as good as I want to be, I could probably make a better recording

with a tennis ball than the average guy who decided he'd just download $2,000 of software. If

you have similar goals of recording great-sounding music, you must be committed. Audio

engineering is not an easy hobby or profession. While I don't mean to scare anyone off, I do

want to point out that there is serious work required.

242

Start With Free Software

There are quite a few open source recording applications out there that don't cost a dime.

There is a big list at Recording Review here. If you don't have the cash to invest in a full

blown rig, that's okay. No harm done. Instead use what you have. Use one of the free

software applications. You can always upgrade down the road.

243

Troubleshooting

Signal Flow

Audio In

• Sound

• A microphone to capture the sound and convert it into a tiny amount of electricity.

• A cable that can reliably send this tiny amount of electricity to our preamp.

• A preamp to boost this tiny amount of electricity up to levels that our recording gear

can use.

• We need to convert this electrical signal (which is currently analog) into a digital signal

that the computer can use. (This is taken care of by the audio interface in most home

recording situations)

• We need to send this digital signal into the computer via the audio interface and into

the operating system. (Which is handled by the drivers of the audio interface).

• We then need to send the signal to the recording software.

• We need to send the signal within the recording software to the specific track we are

recording on.

• We hit the record button.

This is the entire path that audio takes to make its way onto a track in your recording rig.

While this may look quite complicated, don't be alarmed. Most of these things are something

you only have to setup a single time.

Audio OutTo get audio out of your computer (so that you can actually hear it) a similar path is taken only in reverse.

• The audio track must flow through the recording software (usually through the stereo

244

bus / 2-bus).

• The stereo bus must then be routed to stereo outputs in the audio interface.

• This digital signal must be converted to an analog signal (usually handled within the

audio interface).

• The analog signal is then sent to a playback device such as studio monitors or

headphones.

Computer Troubleshooting

No matter what the problem, there are a series of troubleshooting steps that seem to pop up

each and every time. All of this was covered in the Computer Performance Optimization

chapter previously, but this is a nice overview when you are experiencing difficulties.

Is the operating system clean?

After restarting, press Control + Alt + Delete and take a look at your CPU and RAM

usage. Both them should be near zero.

Does the computer feel slow?

Are there unnecessary programs that have been installed?

Is the computer frequently used for internet?

Has the computer been fully optimized for audio recording?

Is Your Gear Compatible?

Yup, the good ol' chipset problem pops up again.

Specific recording software doesn't play well with certain audio interfaces. (This is

fairly rare, but the DICE II problem has made the problem more widespread. The 32-

bit vs 64-bit issue has made it even worse.)

Issues With Drivers?

Are you using the very latest driver? (One may have come out today!)

If the latest driver doesn't work, what about the driver before that and the driver before

that? You'd be surprised how often a previous driver works best.

245

Did you follow the the driver installation instructions to the letter? Drivers often require

goofy steps. I've goofed this up numerous times.

Did you uninstall the previous drivers correctly before installing the new ones?

Make sure to take a look at firmware upgrades as well for your audio interface.

Issues With Software?

· Are you using the latest version? Practically every manufacturer posts improved

versions of their software on their website.

· Are you using it correctly? The most common of all problems is not setting up

the internal routing properly. This should always be covered on page 2 of the manual

(give or take). Refusing to read the manual will waste a dramatic amount of time in the

long run. Give in!

· Are you using hacked software? As I've already said, I believe that hacked

software costs more in time than the real software costs in $. Life is too short.

Issues With The Buffer?

· If you set your audio interface's latency to an extremely fast level, it will cause

clicks and pops even if your CPU isn't working hard. This tells us that we are overworking

some other component in the computer in most cases.

· If your CPU is getting pushed clicks and pops are inevitable. You must increase

you buffer / latency.

· Sometimes setting a buffer that is too big can cause latency.

Q It seems that all seven tracks are recording the:

same thing? Why?

If you have multiple tracks fired up in your recording software, presumable to record a source

like drums, you must route each individual signal to each individual track. Let's keep it simple

and say we have this:

Input #1 – Hihat Side Overhead

246

Input #2 – Ride side Overhead

Input #3 – Kick

Input #4 – Snare

When we create four tracks in your recording software, we must grab track #1 and say “Hey

you! You are getting signal from input #1”. We do this with all of our tracks whether we are

recording 2 tracks or recording 40 racks. If left at their default setting, all tracks would be

getting that same signal from #1. You simply need to make sure that your recording software

has all four inputs activated and then you need to select each track and choose the

corresponding input.

The process is different for every piece of recording software, but this should be explained in

a getting started guide in the manual.

Q I Can t Hear Any Audio On Playback? Why?: 'A typical output chain goes like this:

· Audio Track

· Routing To 2-Bus (stereo bus)

· Stereo output routing to audio interface output

· Audio interface routing to playback system

Possible Solutions

Audio Track

The audio track itself obviously must have signal to play back. It can't be muted and the fader can't be pulled down too low.

247

Audio Track Routing

It's common for me to route audio tracks to busses. For example, all my drum tracks are

routed to a drum bus so that I can process the drums as a whole. The signal from this drum

bus must eventually make its way to the stereo bus in my recording software to be audible.

By default, recording software should route the audio track to the 2-bus, but this can often be

changed.

2-bus Routing

Within the recording software, you must specify where to send the 2-bus signal. In most

cases, it will be to outputs one and two (left and right) of your audio interface, but it could vary

depending on what you are up to.

Audio Interface Routing

In the event that your audio interface has DSP routing, you will have the option to route any

signal just about anywhere. As nice of luxury as this is, it can dramatically complicate things

until you have a firm grasp of how the routing works. Generally speaking you simply want

signal to flow from the output of the recording software to outputs at ½ power .

Playback System

When signal is coming out of your audio interface, it needs to be amplified and pushed out of

your studio monitors, headphones, or regular speakers.

Q No Audio Recording At All! Why?:

It's clear a link in the chain is broken. Let's discuss it.

A input typical chain goes like this:· Source

· Mic

· Mic Cable

248

· Preamp

· Converter

· Audio Interface (The preamp, converter, and audio interface may be bundled

together. If not, they will have cables between each of them.)

· Recording software input

· Track input (as in the track you create in your recording software).

Possible Solutions

Source

When recording an acoustic instrument, it is easy to tell if the thing is making noise.

However, if recording an instrument direct such as a keyboard, bass, or electric guitar you

really don't know if any signal is coming out of until you get some sort of visual indicator

further down the line. (The preamp level meter is often a good one).

MicWhile fairly rare, mics do die. If one mic isn't working, temporarily toss in another mic to see if

it works. In the case of condenser microphones, make sure you have phantom power turned

on.

Mic CableMic cables go bad. Some mic cables start out bad. Try swapping out your mic cable with

another mic cable and see if that solves the problem. The same holds true with line-level

signals from direct instruments.

249

PreampObviously, make sure the preamp is plugged in and the gain is cranked up to a reasonable

level. If channel #1 is having problems, try using a different channel.

ConverterConverters don't have problems too often as there really aren't any movable parts. If you are

using an external converter (most people are not), check to make sure that it's getting

wordclock and is in sync with the rest of the system. My Mytek converters blink when they

aren't getting a clock signal. Of course, make sure the digital output of the converter is

properly connected to the audio interface.

Audio InterfaceIf you are using external preamps and/or converters make sure to double check all of your

routing. It's very common - for me anyway - to route preamp #7 to input #5. I'm an idiot!

Those of you using the modern era of audio interfaces with preamps built in won't have the

pleasure of tracking down bugs like this.

Recording Software Routing99% of the time, this is the problem. It comes from people not reading their manuals and just

hoping they can figure it out on the fly. In most recording programs, there are two potential

routing problems.

For example, in my current recording software, Cubase SX3, you have to first create an input

bus where you route the signal from the audio interface into the recording software. This is

done “behind the scenes” under a menu. Then, you must route these busses to the proper

track. If we want input #7 for our bass track, we need to select input #7.

250

Audio Only Records On One Side

Whenever a stereo track is recorded, by default, the recording software places input #1 on

the left and input #2 on the right. The mic on the left side of the instrument is run to input #1

and the mic on the right side of the instrument is run to input #2.

If you are only using one microphone (and therefore recording in mono) if you send that

signal to #1, it will only come out the left side.

The solution is to make sure to create a mono track when recording mono sources.

Note: There is nothing wrong with recording in mono. Mono tracks will always allow for

panning and default to the center. So you record a mono electric guitar and pan it to the left

and a mono piano and pan it to the right to create a stereo mix.

MIDI Makes No Sound

MIDI does not make sound. This is why it can be used for channel switching and other, not-

so-musical functions. Only when we send MIDI to a synthesizer or sampler can it trigger

sounds.

If you have a MIDI track that is routed to a synth or sampler, but you are not getting any

sound, here are a few reasons why you may not be getting sound.

Synth or Sampler Itself

The synth or sampler may not have a patch loaded. In that case, our MIDI is making its way

to the synth or sampler without any trouble, but the synth/sampler simply isn't doing anything

with it. If you have ruled out all other options, you may want to fire up a different synth and try

routing your MIDI to it.

Wrong Channel

The synth/sampler may be expecting MIDI on a specific channel. If you have drums on

channel #1, bass on channel #2, and piano on channel #3 of a sampler, but are sending your

251

MIDI track to the channel #6, you won't hear any sound. This only applies to synths/samplers

that allow multiple sounds/channels. Some synths use a single channel.

Wrong Notes

A tuba or cello only goes so high. A violin only goes so low. A 4 string bass (in standard

tuning) won't go as low as a 5 string bass. If you are attempting to play notes with your MIDI

track that simply aren't possible with the patch you are using, no sound will play. This is

typically more of a problem with samples than synthesizers but it's a mistake I commonly

make. It’s a really nice time to learn the actual ranges of acoustic instruments for more

realistic programming.

Channel Muted

When using virtual instruments in the computer, a channel will be automatically created to

route the output of the synth/sampler to the mixer in the recording software. It's possible that

maybe this fader has been muted or the volume level is all the way down.

Troubleshooting Clicks and Pops

The #1 cause of clicks and pops is an overworked computer. Let's make sure this isn't the

problem.

1. Restart your computer

2. Create a new song / project in your recording software

3. Record just a single audio track

4. Play back that track

5. Do you have clicks and pops in it?

If you have clicks and pops while recording just a single audio track there are a few

possibilities.

Clicks and Pops With A Single Track

Generally speaking, if you are getting clicks and pops with just a single track and your

252

computer isn't a total train wreck, it's usually a sign that something has been misconfigured.

CPU

Your computer may have so many spybots and viruses that you are indeed using more

computer power than you think. This is easy to check. Fire up Windows Task Manager. (As

of this writing, this is done in XP and on via hitting Control + Alt + Delete) and selecting first

the “Performance” tab and then the “Processes” tab. If you are using next to zero CPU

usage, move on to step #2.

If your CPU usage is more than 20% with nothing going on, something is definitely wrong with

your system. I prefer my computer to be using around 1-2% after Windows is fully loaded. If

your CPU usage is not this low the first step is to make sure parasites aren't hogging all your

power.

CPU Parasites

Software manufacturers love to partially load their software on your system's startup. Why?

The idea is that by partially loading their software when your computer loads up, their

software will load quicker. The downside is your entire computer runs slower. There are

many programs that use this parasitic autoload method and frankly I find it disgusting. It's

entirely unnecessary and if a person really wants software to load on startup, they can do so

by pasting a shortcut into their “Startup” folder. (I automatically launch Cubase when

Windows starts up, for example.)

As annoying as software parasites are, they are relatively easy to solve. Click Start > Run >

msconfig. There are various ways of going about this. I turn everything off. After restarting

my computer there is usually a feature that I miss and need to turn on, but this is much

quicker for me than turning them off one by one. If you aren't comfortable with my seek and

destroy method, find the “Command” column and make it wide enough so you can see what

program is loading.

253

When I take a look at my current laptop I see a bunch of junk I don't need. The one that

strikes me as being most interesting is this Adobe Reader 9.0 (see highlight). I use Adobe

Acrobat Reader about once per month, but the nice folks at Adobe don't see any problem

having it chew up RAM and CPU power the other 300 hours a month I'm on this computer.

That's unacceptable for a home computer and it's borderline sexual assault of a recording

computer.

Note: This msconfig tool applies to Windows XP. I'm taking the risk of being outdated here,

but I'm putting all my money on Windows keeping this one around for future versions. If you

can't find msconfig in your futuristic version of Windows, do a search on “Google” (a primitive

search engine from the year 2009) for an equivalent.

This is my laptop. You'll notice that I'm running absolutely nothing but ClamTray, my antivirus

definition updater; NvCPL, whatever that is; and two gizmos that run my wireless internet.

Worse Than Parasites

While I would like to take this time to formally slam all manufacturers who needlessly bog

down computers just so their program will load two seconds faster, I have to give them credit.

At least they are playing by the rules. With a simple uncheck of a box in msconfig we can tell

254

their parasites to take a hike. Viruses and spybots are not nearly so compliant.

If after turning off all unneeded junk in msconfig you still find that Windows is using more than

5-10% of CPU power doing essentially nothing you have a problem with your computer. It

probably needs a formatting immediately. You can attempt to uninstall software, remove

viruses, and do the usual 101-style maintenance, but sometimes taking a shower won't cut it.

Sometimes you need a heart transplant!

Don't waste too much time trying to duct tape a system back together when you could have

Windows back up and running on your system in less than an hour after you backed up your

important files.

Note: The installation of software and the registering that software can considerably add to

this time.

It's important to know that most recording software has a CPU usage meter, but this meter

doesn't always read the same thing as the CPU meter within Windows.

Latency

It's very common for the lowest levels of latency (smallest buffer size in the audio interface

control panel) to cause clicks and pops. Even with a killer, modern system fully optimized for

audio there may be factors that simply don't allow you to run with latency set that lo. This is

okay. Usually, just changing this latency to the next smallest buffer setting will dramatically

reduce or solve the problem without causing too much trouble during monitoring while

tracking. If not, try going the highest setting and see if this stops the clicks and pops. I used

to track with a latency of 128 samples, but after an audio interface switch caused clicks and

pops at 128 samples I was forced to use 160 samples until better drivers were eventually

released.

Note: Clicks and pops can occur at two different times. They can occur during the tracking

process and actually end up on the track you have recorded. They can also be added during

playback. You can tell the two apart because clicks, pops, and glitches that occur during

playback will not occur in the same place. They show up randomly. If you've recorded the

255

clicks and pops onto the track, you'll be able to zoom in and see where the clicks and pops

are occurring and you will hear them each and every time.

If you are using the highest buffer setting and your computer's CPU is barely cracking a

sweat, you've got real problems beyond that of just the basics.

Compatibility

It's possible you have some gear that is not compatible. Check the chipset requirements from

the manufacturer of your audio interface. Yes, they are there somewhere. These are buried

right next to the Watergate Tapes. Dig, dig, dig. Ask for help on the RecordingReview.com

forum if you need to. Usually someone knows where those stupid requirements are.

Then figure out what chipset your Motherboard and/or connection card (Firewire, USB 1.1,

USB 2.0, etc) is using. The easiest/most exact/best way is to check the manual of your

computer's motherboard, if possible. If this is out, try heading to Control Panels > System >

Devices. If your drivers have been properly installed for your motherboard, you will see Intel,

AMD, Nvidia, Geforce, TI etc. Note: We are not talking about the processor type. We are

talking about the motherboard or connection card's chipset. There is a difference. A

motherboard with an AMD processor could use a Via chipset, for example. (This is confused

by the fact that Intel creates both processors and chipsets.)

Another potential compatibility issue arises with certain audio interfaces not being compatible

with certain recording software. This was unheard of until this thing called “DICE II” came out

in specific audio interfaces. I'm not even exactly sure what it is, but it marked the first time I

was made aware of specific audio interfaces not working with specific recording software.

Before then, all Windows based audio interfaces were compatible with all recording software

(minus the proprietary systems like Pro Tools). Great! Like this needed to be more

complicated!!

256

Drivers

Triple check to make sure you have the latest drivers from the manufacturer of your audio

interface and make sure they are installed properly. Sometimes installing a new driver

requires that you uninstall the old driver. Sometimes a new driver requires a firmware update.

It's very, very, very common for driver updates to require you to brush up on your hoop

jumping skills so make sure to read the instructions carefully if your driver upgrade goes awry.

I've seen drivers make outrageous improvements in reliability and performance. If you are

using a new driver that isn't performing well, you may want to give an older driver a shot. I've

had some luck in the past with this one.

Note: I never update my drivers unless I'm encountering a problem. If it ain't broke, don't fix

it!

In most cases, a new driver will solve the problem when all previous factors have been ruled

out.

Beyond these factors, there are no glaringly obvious reasons why you would be experiencing

clicks and pops when recording just a single track of audio. If you are still hearing clicks and

pops, it's time to swallow your pride (and free time) and begin contacting customer support.

You will will most likely get the run around and you will mostly likely encounter one

manufacturer blaming another manufacturer.

It's recommend that you make a post on the RecordingReview.com forum under Solve

Technical Issues because it's possible that another member has already gone through the

agony of customer support and can help you solve the problem in seconds. With that said,

tech support issues are always tricky so don't count on this exclusively.

BIOS

I hope I don't scare any of you. Don't worry, this one doesn't have to be all that bad, but if you

feel scared of this one, don't do it! If you are new to computers I can confidently recommend

you jump into the BIOS only if you have immediate access to a second computer with

internet. This is to dig you out of any holes you may dig yourself in.

The BIOS is where you can hardware settings. The BIOS is the very first thing to load when

257

you turn your computer on. Guys who like to hotrod their computers (aka overclocking) do it

in the BIOS but there are a few options than can affect the way your recording computer

functions. Every BIOS I can recall in recent times has a “Load Optimized Defaults” option

which can sometimes fix problems with the way your computer runs. Usually the need for

such a feature is caused by idiots like myself who monkey around in the first place. So if you

don't know what a BIOS is may be good to avoid this. I just wanted to list it as a possible

factor.

Sometimes this “Load Optimized Defaults” can change one or two settings that stop your

computer from loading Windows. To a beginner, this could rival the fear of nuclear war. For a

nerd like myself, it's usually as simple as finding the boot order making sure your hard drive

with Windows is selected to boot. It's also common for this feature to enable A: (disk drives)

that don't exist which could cause problems until you manually disable them.

Note: Never mind. I've decided no one should play with the BIOS. Stay away from it!

Clicks And Pops With Multiple Tracks

When a computer can record one track without a problem, but adding additional tracks

causes issues the problem is usually more of performance. Make sure to go through all the

troubleshooting possibilities above that pertain to a single track.

If a single track can be recorded without a single click or pop, there is only one obvious

reason why a second track or even 10 tracks would cause problems. The mix you are playing

back is exhausting your computer's resources. Sometimes glitches occur within a given

project. I'm going to go ahead and define a “project” as that thing you save when you finish

working on a song. Sometimes you are using more CPU power than you realize. On an

computer that had its heyday back in 2005, it only takes a few guitar emulator instances to

cause the whole system to run out of gas. The same can be said about certain synths. Make

sure you check your CPU usage meter in your recording software and in Windows via the

task manager to get a feel for what your system is doing.

258

CPU Usage Meter

I've had problems in the past where the CPU usage meter in Cubase was running at 50% but

my computer was actually running at 90%. I've noticed that with my newer computer the

Cubase CPU usage meter may say 50% but I may only be running at 30% in Windows. So

you may have to learn what your CPU meter is really telling you.

Scandisk

Another possibility is hard drive problems. I'd run Scandisk on the drive as soon as you have

a few hours where you don't need the computer. Go to My Computer. On each drive

· Right Click

· Select Properties

· Tools

· Check Now

Windows will have to restart to check the hard drive in which Windows is installed but others

can be done without a restart.

RAM

You may also want to make sure that your aren't maxing out your computer's RAM. I've

encountered situations where one stick of RAM would pop out or die leaving the system

running on half the RAM. I've encountered programs that have had runaway RAM that used

dramatically more RAM than they normally would. In this case a restart often helps.

Create A New Project

If a project becomes corrupted, the only option is to re-import your audio into a brand new

project. This is often a pain in the neck, but there really isn't any way around it if your project

is, indeed, corrupt. It's worth the hassle to get back on your feet. Cubase has a feature to a

save a project to a new folder and will render all the wav files to start at the same time. Other

programs likely have something like this, also. This can save centuries of tedious labor when

259

you import these wav files into a brand new project.

Clicks and Pops With Samples

If you are experiencing clicks and pops when you trigger samples, you are not alone. This

most often occurs when the hard drive is being pushed too aggressively. The good news is

99% of the time, the problem won't occur when you render your tracks down.

This is generally solved when you move the “work” from the hard drive to the RAM. Of

course, this requires more RAM. Most samplers have a feature called DFD (direct from disk)

or streaming which allows you to balance your RAM usage to hard drive usage when dealing

with samples.

MIDI Sequencing

After recording live rock bands for years, I switched over to Cubase so I would have the ability

to use a powerful MIDI sequencer with synths and samples. I consider it to be one of my best

decisions. I can now easily enhance my “organic” live rock band recordings with stuff from

the synth/sample world when appropriate or make my own productions that are entirely MIDI-

based. I feel like I can make anything and everything I want! In other words, MIDI makes me

feel empowered! I can create an orchestra thingy in the morning and then a rap beat that

night.

In the early days of MIDI sequencing, the sounds possible were very limited. These types of

sounds become prominent in many of the 80s synth pop and dance genres. I believe that the

word “corny” comes up often when describing tones from the past. Some people love them.

Some people hate them. Few people make up the middle. I have the interesting perspective

of being raised on synth/dance pop music from a cheesier (or debatable: more fun) era, but

also completely understand where a natural, organic band is coming from when they say that

they feel constricted by a click track. So, I can 100% relate to the person who leans towards

the stereotypes that MIDI methods of recording have led to in the past, but I also understand

just how exciting music made with MIDI can be. As always, it's not the tools, it's how you use

them.

260

261

MIDI

An Explanation of MIDI

MIDI is just data. MIDI never directly deals with audio. MIDI allows you to capture the

performance, not the sound. Let me say that again. MIDI has no sound. MIDI is simply the

capturing of a performance. It's as if we could measure exactly what your fingers did to play

on a piano, guitar, or drum and then saved that. Because MIDI has no sound of its own, we

use this MIDI data to trigger synths or samples that make the actual audio. We can tell a

synth or sample exactly what notes to play, how hard to play them, when to stop playing

them, among other things which we'll get to later.

The New Era Of MIDI

There is a common perception that all MIDI productions have this same “unnatural” sound to

them. This “unnatural” is what we think of when we look at cheap, synth drums or really bad

emulations of pianos and other instruments. I think the stereotypical sound of the old school

drum machine best sums this up (still found on some standalone recorders)..

This is all in the past. The drum sounds in your Roland keyboard when you were in junior

high are long gone (or at least have been surpassed by an absurd amount). MIDI synths and

samples can sound incredibly real if you want them to!

In fact, I'm positive that each and every one of us has been fooled at one time or another.

The corny world of MIDI died when home computers became powerful enough for software

samplers. Now it is entirely possible to make incredibly lifelike sounding recordings. The

previous limitations of hardware sampler and synths are over. With the right producer at the

helm, there is no way to discern between a recording done entirely with samples and a

recording done in a very high end studio. This is the modern age. It happens to be much

262

less expensive to crank out recordings that sonically rival that of major mega studios because

we can use samples that were recorded by ultra mega studios.

RecordingReview.com forum moderator, Richiebee, illustrated the possibilities by taking a

stereotypical MIDI file and running it through modern samples. The results are astounding.

Take a listen.

The old era of MIDI production allowed for a snare sample. Yes, just one, single snare

sample. So you'd hear the same snare hit throughout the entire song. Listen to the snare fill

on an old New Order song and you'll know what happens whenever a snare hit is triggering

the exact same sample. (We call that the “machine gun” effect.)

While this sort of thing didn't bother anyone on a bunch of Janet Jackson hits, it's something

that is more acceptable in pop music than everywhere else. In more organic forms of music,

this kind of thing is distracting! A snare drum has a different tone when it is hit in the center or

in the edges. It has different tone depending on how hard you hit it or with which hand. It has

a different tone even when you attempt to make it sound exactly the same. You may not

notice this when listening to your favorite songs recorded with a real drummer, but you sure

notice it when the performance is supposed to sound real and all you hear is that one single

sample.

Now we have highly advanced drum samplers that are designed to rival that of the most real

of drumming situations. First of all, the first “modern” drum sample package I purchased had

10 DVDs worth of samples. We are talking 40GB of individual drum hits. This is a ton of

samples! I want to point out that this was for just a handful of drum kits. This was not one of

those “One Million Samples For $20” packages. The modern samples don't use 1 sample for

every drum hit. They use hundreds. Many of them even randomly grab variations even if

you use the same velocity over and over.

263

The old way of using samples on drums never took into account bleed from the other parts of

the drum kit. While bleed can sound undesirable in some situations, bleed is also a big part

of the 3D sound of professionally recorded real drums. The sound of the snare in the toms

and the kick in the overheads is a huge part of the sound.

When the old-style samplers triggered a hi-hat, then a kick, then a snare individually there

was no interaction. The modern drum samplers allow us to control the amount of bleed from

the snare into the kick drum mic. We can turn bleed off completely or we can crank it up. We

can even turn off the bleed of the cymbals into the other drums which effectively achieves the

sound of recording drums with no cymbals. Basically, we have the incredible ability to pull off

natural sounding recordings that would have been considered insane just a few years ago.

It's just up to the talent of the musician to bring that out. A sampler is a musical instrument.

All of these drum samples output to individual tracks in your mixer as if you had tracked the

real drums yourself. The process has really became very close to the real thing, only without

the expense of a $2,000 per day room.

Some people seem to think that this could work well for simple music, but for complicated,

intricate music it's not going to happen. Well, nothing could be further from the truth.

Granted, if you want a sound that isn't included in the library (maybe the sound of smashing a

guitar into the front head of a kick drum or something equally obscure) then they are right.

However, so much detail has gone into these modern sample packages to be able to adapt

from any situation from jazz brushes to death metal that the sky is the limit.

MIDI Doesn t Have To Be Stiff' “ ”

Many old timers are often against MIDI because they claim that it sounds “stiff” or “sterile”. I

need to make sure we shoot that myth down right here and now. The days of just telling a

264

drum machine to keep a 4/4 beat at 120bpm are over. Let me rephrase that. The days of

simply firing up a drum machine at given tempo are over . These days, sequencers are very

powerful and are 100% capable of capturing a great human performance. In other words,

MIDI is just a data format and it happens to be very good at being able to capture a real

performance and play it back. There is no rule that says you have to push the Quantize

button or manipulate the performance within your sequencer at all.

When used in this fashion, there is absolutely no difference between capturing a performance

with microphones versus capturing it with MIDI and using samples.

MIDI can sound as real and natural as you want to make it. Because editing MIDI data is so

unbelievably easy, I feel that too many insecure musicians took the plunge and over-

perfected their tracks to the point of sounding sterile (and therefore non-perfect). It is much

easier and faster to program stiff sounding tracks than it is to program real sounding tracks.

We'll get into that later on in this chapter. Just keep in mind there are many ways to “enter”

MIDI data. There is no reason a person couldn't simply place triggers on a real drum kit and

capture MIDI that way while leaving the entire track 100% human.

What Is A MIDI Sequencer?

A MIDI sequencer is similar to those old pianos that would play songs automatically when you

put in a roll of paper with all the notes specified. Of course, a powerful sequencer like Logic

or Cubase is a little more advanced than a sheet of paper, but the concept is the exact same.

The sequencer allows you to record and edit MIDI data and then send it out to the synth /

sampler of your choice. This MIDI data tells the synth / sampler what to play.

You have control over which note was struck, when the note was struck, the length of the

note, the intensity with which that note was struck (known as velocity) and a ton of other

factors that I seldom use but are there for anyone who wants to take the realism of their

265

tracks to the next level. This is the simplified version as I'm not really that advanced of a MIDI

guy. There are dramatically more complex functions that allow you to slap some notes down

and then “humanize” a groove. The musical possibilities are absurd!

With a sequencer, you can create an entire song with nothing more than a mouse. You can

draw in each and every note. Of course, you are not limited to using a mouse. You can

“enter” MIDI data with an electronic drum kit, a keyboard with MIDI or USB out, a MIDI guitar,

or any other musical device that has a MIDI Out.

In the past hardware sequencers were the big deal. I know of no popular hardware

sequencers anymore as just about everyone who is into MIDI production is doing it from

within the computer. These days Cubase, Logic, Digital Performer, Sonar, etc. all contain

very powerful MIDI sequencers.

What Is A Synthesizer?

Synthesizers are basically tone generators. In their simplest form, they play back a sine wave

for each note. (Think of the “smooth” sound on your old 8-bit Nintendo that sounded like a

bad flute if you really used your imagination) . There are many, many ways to take this tone

generator and manipulate it into sounding like everything from a buzz saw to a snare drum to

an Enya-like ambiance. As far as I'm concerned, I'm 100% amazed that people are skilled

enough in using synthesis to create sounds that are as usable as they are. It's very

impressive what people can do by creating sound out of thin air and then messing with it.

With that said, synthesis is not a substitute for the real thing when the real thing is desired

(that's where samples come in).

There are, however, unreal sounds that make synths extremely powerful musical tools in the

right hands. In the right song, synthesizers are capable of going leaps and bounds beyond

that of what you heard back in the ‘80s synth pop days. If you aren't up on the modern

266

samples, you have no idea! Check out Absynth as an example of a modern synth.

In the old days, all synths were hardware (both analog and digital). Most synths were built

right into the keyboard, but there were also rack-mounted synths that needed a MIDI

controller of some type to receive MIDI data from. In time, computers became fast enough to

not only replicate synth sounds but to come up with some very exciting sounds on their own.

What Is A Sampler?

Samplers work entirely different than synths. A sampler takes a piece of audio that was

recorded (typically with a microphone) and plays it back when MIDI data triggers it. Because

samplers simply play back a real recording of a real instrument, they are capable of sounding

totally real. The only usual giveaway that samples were used instead of real tracking is the

fact that sample tracks tend to sound way better from an engineering perspective than tracks

often recorded at home by amateurs.

In the past, hardware samplers were limited by the amount of RAM available. It wasn't

possible to play back long samples with lots of sustain because samplers of that era couldn't

remember that many files. This meant that long, sustaining notes such as that of violins were

limited to a specific amount of time until they just cut off. The work-around to this was to take

the “sustain” portion of the sample and loop it until you released the note, then it would play

the “release” and “decay” portions of the sample.

Now modern samples have a feature where they will load up the beginning of the sample into

RAM but if the sample is long, the rest of the sample will be triggered real time from the hard

drive. This is a great illustration of how computers have revolutionized the world of samples

and made realistic performances possible.

267

The lack of RAM couldn't allow for as many samples to be loaded on an old hardware

sampler. Maybe only three or four snare drum samples were available so that you had the

option of “super soft”, “soft”, “medium”, and “hard” playing. The sampler triggers the sample

that is closest to the correct velocity. It will change the volume within those velocity regions to

make the difference between a velocity of 56 and 58. Modern samplers allow for infinitely

greater resolution. There are so many individual samples for one snare drum that you won't

hear the sampler ever hitting the same snare sample twice. In addition to having so many

samples, there are often multiple samples for each velocity struck in slightly different parts of

the drum to add even more realism. To take it even further, there are separate samples for

the left and right hands. So you could program a drum roll with left hand hard, left medium,

right hand hard, right hand medium for even more realism.

Hardware samplers work just like synthesizers. These are typically external, rackmount

pieces that required MIDI to be sent out of a MIDI sequencer and into the MIDI input of the

sampler. Toward the end of the ‘90s, computer technology allowed for drastic increases in

the size of RAM. It wasn't long before software samplers essentially took over. While there

are still purists who prefer the sound of their vintage synths to virtual instruments using

synthesis in the computer, I can't remember the last time I heard of a person using a

hardware sampler. They have pretty much gone by the wayside. Prices for hardware

samplers plummeted from $5,000 down to just a couple hundred bucks. (I'm surprised they

are still worth that! They are obsolete in every way I can think of.)

Update: I just received word that there is a resurgence in hardware sampler use by a few

high profile indie bands and hip hop groups. This is similar to driving a restored car from the

1930s that has 45 horsepower, gets 12 miles per gallon, has no radio, no air conditioning, no

heater, but somehow has a vibe to it. Don't ask me!

Loops

Loops have become popular in the past decade. The idea is to get one section of audio,

repeat it over and over, and then mix and match the various pieces. So maybe you have a

268

drum loop that is a straight 4/4: kick, snare, kick, and snare. You can then paste that loop all

over the place. Maybe you have a couple bass loops that are the same tempo. Maybe you

use a different loop in the pre-chorus and a different loop in the chorus. You add them

however you want as part of your song.

Loops are very popular with hip hop and electronic music. If the loops are of considerable

quality, it's not difficult to come out with a great sounding production with very little effort.

Programs such as ACID and Fruity Loops have become extremely popular.

Why I'm Not Big On Loops

I think that loops are an acceptable way of working in electronic genres of music, but that's

where they end for me. Rap and electronic music tend to be repetitive and rigid. Country,

rock, folk, and just about every other “less modern/more organic” genre requires a little bit of

human variety in the recordings. Sometimes you need a crash cymbal to jump out in a verse,

but what do you do if you can't find a loop with a crash cymbal?. There needs to be more

variation to avoid the boredom of sterility. It would take a huge loop library to be able to

conceive of every musical possibility. In fact, they have these already. They are called

sample libraries. They come one hit at a time so you have total freedom to make whatever

you want if you have a MIDI sequencer.

I personally feel like I'm using the wrong side of my brain when dealing with loops. I start

going through folders of loops looking for something cool. That's the idea anyway. In reality, I

find myself finding what is wrong with each loop and I kind of get into “picky mode” and I don't

put myself in “creative mode”. (It's the same thing that occurs when scrolling through presets

for too long.) I greatly prefer the power and endless possibilities of using synths and samples

with a MIDI sequencer. I can play any note I want. If I want my crash cymbal in a verse, I

add one. If the crash cymbal needs to be louder the second time through, no problem! I

don't feel like my hands are tied. I can easily make my own loops if I so choose (which I often

269

do when making my little pieces of electroruckus). However, with MIDI sequencing, I

increase the velocity of the drums in the 3rd chorus verse the 1st and 2nd chorus. I can ramp

up the intensity or the tempo.

I want to emphasize that there are dramatic differences between searching through folders

versus playing keys on a keyboard. The mindset is totally different. Searching through

folders hitting the preview button sounds like work to me. Beating on an instrument sounds

like fun to me.

When it comes to recording “organic” styles of music, the budget of the project may prohibit

us from hiring a real drummer. I may have to program the drums or have a drummer play on

my edrum kit. If I had to use loops, it would certainly save me hours of time, but it would

definitely sound like I have copied and pasted the same piece of audio all over the song. This

isn't rock music. This isn't country music. This isn't folk music. This isn't metal (most of the

time). This simply sounds distracting in many genres of music. It's worth the dramatically

larger time for me to go in and do my best to simulate a human performance. .

I also think that there are a lot of people who are intimidated by going into the manual mode

of sequencing synths and samples. I think if a person can choose a 3 note loop, they can

pound out 3 notes on a midi controller. I don't see a difference. I find that when dealing with

loops, I may do fine until I want to take the tune in another direction. Of course, this is a given

with the nature of the loops. By definition, loops repeat the same thing over. You can go your

own way with this repetition if you so choose, but only if it matches the loops you have at your

disposal. In these cases, I'm at the mercy of the loop library. I personally hate this. So,

while loops are a simple way of working quickly, with simplicity comes a lack of control. If you

feel you are limited by loops, consider working with a full blown MIDI sequencer.

If you happen to enjoy working with loops, don't let me stop you. I'm not trying to limit your

possibilities with looping, I'm simply trying to illustrate the limitations of looping for me.

270

MIDI Is Simple

MIDI is easy. You make sure your routing is correct and beat away on your keyboard. You go

into the sequencer and move stuff around, change notes, change velocities, or do whatever

you want. You can't mess up!

So just in case you are feeling a bit intimidated by the technology, don't! Relax. Sequencers

often have all kinds of fancy features, but you don't have to use any of them. Just hit record,

beat on your MIDI controller, and send that to a piano sample. It's as easy as that!

The fancy features are there to automate tasks that are a pain in the butt. In the beginning

skip them. Skip all of them. When you start feeling comfortable with fundamental operation

of the software then go in read about the capabilities in the manual. You'll surely find a 5

minute solution to a task that took you hours.

The Basics Of MIDI Routing

Many people get confused about the routing in MIDI. I think most of this is due to the fact that

they can't see what’s going on. A guitar player can see his guitar going into his pedals, going

into his amp, going into his speakers. With MIDI, these days, there are very few cables. Let

me simplify it.

In a simple setup, using a software sequencer (Cubase, Logic, etc) our MIDI controller has a

MIDI out which must send MIDI out of the controller and into the computer via the

conventional 5-pin MIDI port or via USB.

Neither USB or the standard 5-pin MIDI cable is better. These days most computers come

271

with a USB port, but few come with a MIDI input. If your audio interface has one: problem

solved - use it. We then need to record a MIDI track. Our goal is to get a few notes/dots on

the screen on that MIDI track. When we bang on the keys, we should see some kind of visual

confirmation on the screen somewhere that MIDI is indeed coming into the sequencer. (In

Cubase, you can find this on the “transport” bar with play and stop and such.) This lets us

know that MIDI is coming into the software at least.

If I don't see the little activity bar light up when I beat on my MIDI controller, there are a few

possibilities. Either I don't have the MIDI controller turned on, I don't have the MIDI cable

plugged into the controller, I don't have the MIDI controller plugged to the computer / MIDI

interface, or I don't have that MIDI interface specified in my recording software as the MIDI

input.

We then need to make sure our MIDI track is actually getting that MIDI data after we select

our MIDI IN port as the input for that particular track. Usually there will be some kind of visual

confirmation for that, too. You can have a number of MIDI IN devices (MIDI controllers like

keyboards, electronic drums, or MIDI guitars) so each track needs to be able to define the

desired input.

There is no sound playing, but we could arm the MIDI track, hit the record button, and go to

town without hearing any sound and still record some MIDI data. This is all it takes to record

MIDI data onto a track in a software sequencer. Of course, it's pretty tough to play well when

you can't hear what you are doing. With that said, this is a time for celebration because

you've conquered the first half of MIDI recording. Yes, it's that easy.

In review, we did the following:

1. Plugged the MIDI Controller into the computer

2. Set the input for the MIDI track in the recording software

3. Hit Record

272

So now we need to get our MIDI to trigger some kind of noise making synth or sampler. We'll

stay in the recording software and use virtual instruments although we could just as easily

route the MIDI data out of a MIDI OUT port (if we have one) and on to an external device of

some kind. In the virtual instruments window, I'm going to grab my sampler. By default,

there are no sounds loaded into the sampler; let's say I load up a piano sound into the first

slot.

Now we need to send out MIDI data to that sampler from our MIDI track.

Think about that 5-pin cable for a minute. That 5-pin cable was capable of sending 16

different MIDI channels to one device through it. So if we had a track for drums we could

send it through channel 10 and if we had a MIDI track for bass we could send it through

channel 2, until we went up to channel 16. This was useful when one single synth/keyboard

handled the drums, bass, piano, trumpets, etc for an entire song.

Each of these channels, which is easy to see in the sequencer, has a bunch of

patches/sounds/whatever you want to call them (128 of them). They are generally referred to

by the piano name like C4 is a “C” note in the middle of the keyboard. C#4 is one half step

higher than C4 and C2 is two octaves lower. That's how a piano works, but a C#4 could be a

snare drum and C4 could be a cymbal crash and who knows what is on C2. It could be

anything and it's totally up to the sampler manufacturer to decide. With our piano sound, a

C4 should actually be a C4 so that simplifies things just a bit.

People get confused quite a bit with drums when it comes to MIDI channels. People are used

to thinking of drums in terms of 10 tracks and therefor it's common to assume that a drum

MIDI part would use up 10 MIDI channels. This is not the case. An entire drum performance

will have no problem fitting on a single channel. The kick is one note. The snare is another

note. It's as simple as that. In fact, piano and guitar tracks often pass more MIDI data than

273

drums do and they work fine within a single channel.

Let’s go back to the piano sound in our sampler that it defaulted to channel #1. This means

that our piano sample patch is only going to receive MIDI data from channel #1. We need to

verify that our MIDI track is being sent on channel #1. Depending on what your recording

software defaults to, it could be sending that MIDI data on any channel.

Once the MIDI out is routed to the correct virtual instrument (our sampler) and is on the same

channel as our piano patch (channel #1), we should hear our piano sound.

We could fire up a tuba on channel #2 in our sampler. Our piano on channel #1 will have

nothing to do with it. They will be completely separate entities. If we were to change the

output of the MIDI track to channel #2, the piano would stop playing and the tuba would start.

So, putting it all together, the routing is fairly straight forward. It's as simple as:

1. Data out of the MIDI track

2. Into a specific MIDI IN, synth or sample on a specific channel

Putting It All Together

We mentioned previously that we really didn't have to be hearing any sound to record MIDI

data. I did this just so we could crawl a bit before trying to walk. Obviously, we want to hear

the instrument when we are playing and we can easily do that. Data can flow through a MIDI

track very quickly. So all we need to do after we have a MIDI track properly routed to a synth

or sample is click the “Monitor” button. This is essentially a switch that allows the track to

decide if it wants to pass on the signal that is already recorded (if any track has been

recorded) or take signal from the MIDI input and pass it on to the specified synth or sampler.

274

If everything is set up correctly and the Monitor button is engaged, you should be able to play

your pianos, synths, drums, and anything else all real time with your MIDI controller if you

have a low latency audio/MIDI interface.

Too Many MIDI Notes

There is just one problem. I mentioned that we have 128 possible notes with MIDI. I'm not

aware of any conventional piano that has 128 notes and I don't know of a sample package

that includes a piano with 128 notes. If we record MIDI data that was too low or too high to

fall within the range of that instrument, we are attempting to play notes that don't exist on that

instrument. No sound would play. Always make sure that if no sound is playing that you are

playing notes that are actually available for that instrument within the sample package. This

is usually made clear by the sampler software. Better still, develop an understanding for the

instruments you are writing for: their natural ranges and idiomatic uses. On a cello sample, it's

easy to start out playing low. Not too low. The lowest open string is C2. As you reach the

middle octaves, you'll hit a note and nothing will play. There is no reason to be alarmed. The

cello simply doesn't go that high.

MIDI Messages

For those of you are having a hard time understanding that MIDI is data, it won't take long

from checking around online for “MIDI Messages” to remind you that this is definitely a

computer language and not merely a tool for computer expression.

MIDI Messages are essentially the possible ways for you to express yourself musically with

MIDI. All of these can be manipulated to further enhance (or reduce) the realism in your MIDI

productions.

275

Velocity

A measurement of force with which you strike a note. This plays a major role in the volume

and tone of nearly all instruments. Most synths/samplers take full advantage of this.

Note On

This is the term to describe when you hit the note. Your sequencer will keep track of when

you struck the note, the velocity, and which note you struck.

Note Off

This is the technical term for when a note stops. Obviously, there needs to be a difference

between staccato notes and long sustained notes. This is how it is captured. In your MIDI

sequencer you can go in with your mouse and stretch the length of the note. This is

essentially changing the time time of the “Note Off”. You aren’t likely to see this message

recorded in your sequencer. The computer will take the Note On message, figure in Note Off

and return a Duration measurement into your sequencer. Ahh, computers.

Aftertouch

This is the measurement of the pressure the notes are being held down at any particular time.

While not all synths nor samples take advantage of this, aftertouch can allow for additional

expression. Let's say we hold down a pad to create a spacey atmosphere to a tune but we

want to back off of this a little bit midway, aftertouch allows us to keep on sustaining the note

without killing it. Another illustration are some violin patches. When a real human being

plays a violin they can vary the volume or vibrato of any note they wish. Without aftertouch, if

a note is struck at X velocity and sustained, that note sustains at X velocity. With aftertouch,

a huge palette of possible expression and intensity opens.

276

Pitch Bend

We've all played with the wheel on synths. It's fun to spend two minutes of your life hitting a

note and then monkeying with the joystick. While pitch bend has its defined uses with many

synths, the modern world of synths and samples don't always force you to use this as

“joystick” for pitch alone. Depending on the synth, you can control just about anything the

designer of the synth wanted to control. Don't underestimate the pitch bend knob.

Potential MIDI Problems

Latency

In order to play a piano part through your sampler, for example, it's usually not a big deal for

the MIDI to get into the computer quickly. Both standard USB and MIDI ports are fast enough

to pull this off. However, once the sound is triggered within the sampler, we want to hear it

immediately. We have no time to wait for the computer to think. This is why it's important to

use a real-deal audio interface designed for audio recording because stock soundcards are

notoriously high latency.

Sampler Click/Pops

Sometimes samplers will make clicks and pops (not much differently than an audio interface

in which the latency has been cranked down too low). To solve this, samplers have a “DFD”

(direct from disk) or “streaming” thingy which is their method for balancing between the

amount of RAM used and the amount of hard drive space used for temporary storage of

samples. If you are experiencing clicks and pops with your sampler, you may need to use

more RAM.

277

Excessive CPU/RAM Usage

Virtual instruments (both synths and samples) are one of the most demanding tasks a

computer can tackle. As mentioned above, there are very popular sample libraries where just

the drums will use 2GB of RAM. Synthesizers can put an enormous strain on your

computer's processor. Because real time MIDI-triggered production requires low latency, the

combination of high loads and low latency means you need a fairly modern computer

tweaked for maximum performance in order to do any serious MIDI work. Just like with

games, if your computer isn't fairly modern, good luck playing the latest virtual instruments in

any quantity. We discussed ways to squeeze more power out of your computer in the

computer nerd chapters.

When a computer is overloaded from excessive CPU/RAM usage while the track is being

played, it won't just stop. Recording software is designed to go! If you overload your

computer, most recording software will keep on playing and essentially this can lock your

computer up so intensely that even the Task Manager may not come up. This isn't really a

flaw of the computer, it's a flaw of the user. You must be responsible with your CPU usage

and keep an eye on the CPU meter in your recording software. If you are running low, it's

time to upgrade to a machine with more power or begin to use various tactics to reclaim some

CPU power before adding yet another synth to your computer’s work load.

Drum Programming

There are some insanely powerful drum samplers out there now that make it totally possible

to program drums that even a trained ear would have a tough time discerning from the real

thing.

These modern sample packages are flat out amazing sounding! The sounds are amazing, but

that's only a part of the picture. A huge part of sound of an instrument is the performance of

the musician using that instrument. In other words, the best drum samples in the world mean

278

nothing if the performance isn't also world class. A boring performance with great sounding

samples will sound boring.

Note: There are two sides to the performance in recording. There is the tonal side and there

is the musical intensity side. Because a robo drummer has played all of these samples and a

robo engineer has recorded them, you can be assured that at least the tonal side is not only

acceptable, but mindblowingly impressive. We just need to focus on the musical intensity

end.

With MIDI, we have a few ways we can go about this performance.

Electronic Drum Kit

We can use an electronic drum kit to “enter” the MIDI data. This is, by far, the preferred way

for me because I hate drum programming! When a real drummer plays the song, there is no

“programming”. (Honestly, I hate that word! I've done some real computer programming and

I don't see any correlation to looping arrays and looping drum tracks). It's entirely possible to

capture a 100% humanly natural performance with a relatively inexpensive electronic kit and

use it to trigger these killer samples I keep talking about.

Mouse

We can program the drums with a mouse. For electronic and hip hop genres where a rigid

drum track is okay, this is a great way to go. For styles that require an organic, natural feel,

this is a time-consuming mess. Each and every “hit” of the drums must be considered.

Velocities must be varied to simulate what a real drummer would do. The timing of each “hit”

must be considered. Things that a drummer does subconsciously like pushing the snare in

the fast-sounding parts and pulling the snare in the slow-sounding parts needs to be

compensated for. I do recommend everyone serious about getting into producing take the

279

time to program a song by hand at least once. Put in the ten hours it takes to come close to a

realistic drum performance with real groove and a natural, human vibe. It'll teach you more

than you ever wanted to know about drums, groove, and the rhythmic foundation of the song.

MIDI Keyboard

We can record MIDI drums with a MIDI keyboard (imagine that!). I could never get the feel for

this one. No matter how much I practice the drums Tone Loc's “Wild Thing” on my MIDI

controller, I never get it to sound right. It could be because I'm a terrible piano player. It could

be that keyboards are an awkward way of dealing with drums. I don't know. With that said,

I've seen people who are killer “drummers” on their MIDI keyboards. One advantage of the

MIDI keyboard is you can put the basic groove down in a way that is fairly natural, human

way. From there, you can go into the sequencer and add fills, adjust velocities and things of

that sort.

Real drums with triggers

We can use triggers with a real drum set. Many drummers feel more manly beating on the

big round things as opposed to beating on smaller mesh/rubber round things. (I'm aware that

there are legitimate issues with the feel of rubber.) Still, you have to figure out the cymbal

situation and deal with the volume. It's much easier to convince a drummer to play on a real

kit and then use trigger to blend in or replace much of the sounds. Of course, if you are

recording real drums with real cymbals, you are miking those cymbals and you will be

blending in tracks recorded in your room with the sound of the samples themselves.

Note: I've not been overly impressed with triggers as of this writing. Instead, I track as always

and during the mixing process I use a plugin called KtDrumTrigger to create MIDI data from a

soloed drum track. I like this method much better.

280

So which method of drum programming should you

use?

This is a very tricky question so I'm going to break the answer down into sections.

Real Drummers Recording MIDI

If you are looking for the most real drum performance possible with the least amount of

headaches in MIDI land, I think the only way to go is a real drummer on an edrum kit. When

I yell “Crazier!!” at a drummer, he beats on his drums like an animal and I’m a genius record

producer. When I yell “Crazier!!” at my computer screen, I get hauled off to the nut house.

Some drummers do fine with the rubber looking electronic drum kits. Other drummers hate

them. A big reason for this hatred is the feel of the drum changes specifically in the way the

stick bounces off the drum. This may sound strange to a non-drummer, but it is a big deal. I

could only imagine what it would be like to play a rubber guitar with rubber strings.

It takes a drummer some time to adapt to the feel of the rubber pads. (It needs to be said that

feel is a big part of drum head selection for real drums). There are also the fancier mesh

pads. Most drummers tend to favor these mesh things, but not all. Unfortunately, the mesh

pads are not cheap. If you've got a drummer buddy you can rely on for drum recording, go

with whatever style edrum kit he prefers.

That brings up the issue of finding a drummer. A great drummer may not be cheap either. If

you are recording a song that the drummer really has no vested interest in, you'll probably

need to motivate him to skip Monday Night Football to come down and record drums at your

place. You can usually find somebody to play drums on your project, but not all drummers

are as versatile as you think. Sometimes progressive rock drummers who do well playing

crazy stuff simply cannot play AC/DC. That always has to be a factor too.

281

Note: One trick to save cash is to tell Mr. Drummer that he'll have to bring his entire drum kit

down and then, at the last second, say “You know what: I really want to try out my new,

incredible drum samples. We'll just use my electronic drum kit. Don't bother bringing

anything but sticks!”. There is no better way to motivate a drummer to play for free than this.

It works better than beer and it works better than promises of wild women. Drummers are so

sick of hauling around enormous drum kits that they'll literally jump for the chance to play

drums without hauling 200 pounds and 600 pieces of gear around.

The biggest advantage, in my opinion, of working with a real drummer is the extreme realism

and extremely little time required when compared to the life-sucking experience known as

drum programming with a mouse. If you are working with a skilled drummer who can play,

then I'm sure it would be easy to come out with an awesome drum track in less than an hour

or two. For a band just blasting through a demo, they could easily get their drums done in a

few hours. Note: I'm of the opinion that if the technology saves time, put that leftover time into

making something great!

MIDI has incredible editing abilities and this makes putting together a killer drum performance

way easier and way faster. Editing together different drums with a razor blade and analog

tape had to be a total nightmare. Editing drum parts seamlessly in recording software can be

challenging as the cymbals ringing out in the background make a huge effect on the drums

playing on top of them.

Let's say the drummer hit a gigantically loud pair of crash cymbals and then a snare drum.

Let's say that snare drum is off time and we want to edit it out. When we record a second

take, lets just assume that the drummer only hit one crash cymbal at about half the intensity

he did on the first take and then played his snare on time. (Drummers never play the same

way twice in my experience). If we were to edit in our new take with the cut being

immediately before the snare drum, the old powerhouse cymbal crash sound would be cut off

282

and the new weeny-sounding cymbal decay would come in. It would sound unnatural, at

best.

Now, let's assume that the first take's snare drum was way early and we replace it with the

our second take with the snare on time. We will have a gap that needs to be filled where we

cut off the early snare drum. Maybe our second take will have what I call an “edit point”

somewhere where it matches seamlessly with the first take, but maybe it won't. This is a pain

in the neck for most drum editing with real drums. Note: Higher end software out there has

time-stretching features to solve this (to a point).

For every drummer who insists that everything must be totally natural (no electronic drums,

no MIDI, no sample replacement, etc), there is a drummer who is throwing headphones

across the room because he's just spent an hour trying to fix a difficult section and the take

where he nailed it has no edit points.

With MIDI, there are no edit points. Actually, scratch that. With MIDI there are infinite editing

points. All cymbals will decay naturally. You don't have to worry about if the first snare drum

was too early because you simply remove that hit. It's almost like having a time machine.

One of the most enticing things about using MIDI recording with a real drummer is you can

push a drummer to go over the top and do things they normally wouldn't do. If it doesn't work

out. No big deal. We'll just overdub that part. If a take is great, but he missed a cymbal, no

big deal. We move one dot one time. I do want a real performance but I'm paying this

drummer by the hour and fixing one little thing isn't that big of a deal. When I record a drum

performance, I'm looking for an exciting feel. The little slip-ups can be fixed.

Instead of overextending my brain listening to the way tom fill pushes slightly wondering if it

sounds real enough, I can just let a real drummer deal with it. The cool thing is with a great

283

drummer you can do four or five takes in 30 minutes, edit them together, change anything you

don't like, and call it a day. You can have a great sounding, killer drum track in the time it

takes to plug in the cables and put the mics on the stands when tracking real drums. I like this

because I have no insecurity about sounding “real”. Instead of focusing on whether the

programming sounds real, I instead focus on if the performance is “good”. In other words, I

can really focus on musical intensity.

When the band doesn't have the budget for a $2,000 per day room, I can't think of a better

way to track drums. The editing abilities alone make it dramatically easier to realize the

band's vision in a much shorter amount of time. While a person could certainly quantize and

use all the stereotypical MIDI tricks utilized in techno and hip hop, I just like being able to

adjust the velocity of a snare. If the groove is a little rushed, we can get in there and tweak it

a hair. If we screw it up, no big deal. We have our good pal, Undo.

To The Purists

Doing it the real way has its merits. In fact, the real way is usually preferred when we have

access to the zillion dollars worth of resources it takes to pull that off a truly pro level. Just

keep in mind that no classic albums that I'm aware of were done without label support of

some kind. Please, no arguments about whose money was being used. If you don't have a

label, you technically aren't doing it the “real way”, in my opinion. So let's scrap the idea of

“real way” right now and see if we can't make the best recording possible with the most

intense music possible with the resources we have at our disposal.

I think the reasons electronic drums received a bad name (cheesy sounds, weird feel, etc.)

have diminished significantly. With a well setup e-drum kit, there are few engineers who can

rival the sounds included in the kick butt samples these days. There are zero engineers who

can get the sounds of the modern killer samples on a piece of junk drum kit in your bedroom.

ZERO! (Unless your specific music calls for the bedroom drum sound.)

284

When you factor in how easy it is to save a tremendous performance with just one little flub

versus having to scrap the whole take, it's very possible the music can improve with these

new “cheesy” tools. It’s possible that your fans will have a more exciting experience listening

to your music done with electronic drums and never know the difference.

I'm of the opinion that in my studio (where we still have gravity and other laws of the land

which I'll get into later) the electronic drum approach with modern samples (not synth drum!)

is the way to go for 90% of the bands I work with. We have to balance the possible

expressive benefits of a real kit with all its downfalls.

Drum Programming With A Mouse

For those of us on a budget, we may not have the cash to jump into an electronic drum kit or

we may not have access to great drummers. If we don't feel comfortable on a MIDI

keyboard, the best route is the mouse. Of course, there is no “performance” per say with a

mouse. I look at it more like I'm painting or something. (Ironically, I'm a terrible painter.) It

really isn't that big deal to click on beat 1 and beat 3 for the kick drum, beat 2 and beat 4 for

the snare, and beats 1 through 4 for the hi-hat for your standard “straight” beat (I call it a

“straight” beat because I'm a total idiot in regard to musical terms.) However, the use for this

level of simplicity is almost zero if we are wanting anything resembling “natural” or “real” in

our drum performance.

Good, Real Drummers:

- Never hit the same drum with the same velocity/intensity....EVER!

It's important to note that this isn't exactly random. Drummers tend to play random AND

harder when they are excited or the song is peaking and random and softer at times when the

song is chilling out. When drummers are chilling out they are more inclined to sneak a hard,

285

aggressive hit in there at certain times. There will be certain beats that will always be hit the

hardest and some will vary randomly from take to take.

- Never hit the same exact spot on the drum.

Take a look at a drum head. It's clear that even experts don't hit the center too often. This

isn't exactly random either. I'm sure there is a correlation between how hard a drummer is

playing and what that drummer is playing that will determine where he is striking the drum.

For example, a drummer using the hi-hat will strike the snare differently than when that

drummer is using the ride cymbal. On certain fills, a drummer may use their other hand for

their snare and that may hit a different portion of the snare.

- Will naturally push and pull during the song.

This is an entire book in itself, but pay attention to any great recording with a real drummer.

The snare will be a bit early in parts that are supposed to be more intense or feel “faster”.

(Note: Before the people that measure music with a ruler jump out and say this is a sign of

bad playing, think again. This is the way it's been done for as long as music has been

around. This notion of music on a grid is the new, weird thing). Getting this part right with a

mouse is a time consuming mess. This groove stuff is tricky business and there are no great

ways to automate it. Simply “randomizing” the MIDI data is not the same thing because

drummers don't play completely randomly. Not if they are human. Maybe a monkey would

just hit stuff, but there is some kind of method to this drummer madness .

- Automatically have the right velocity/intensity for each drum when doing a fill. I've wasted

entire days trying to make fills not sound like the drums on an early 80s New Order recording.

It probably would have been more productive to just meditate or something. This is when it

occurred to me that I would rather just pay a real drummer and buy an electronic drum kit

than have to waste my limited time on earth trying mimic what a real drummer is doing.

- Automatically add ghost notes and other little do-dads without any thought. This ghost note

business can really add a bit of realism to a song. I generally take the “run over it with a tank”

approach to recording as opposed to digging for ancient artifacts with a paint brush. I tend to

take the sledgehammer to the face approach like in some kind of make-you-puke Oliver

Stone movie (Savior). This approach is great for making bold, intense statements but subtle

286

little drum things get lost. I'd rather Mr. I-Beat-Round-Things take care of this necessary

busywork so I don't have to think of the subtle stuff.

- Really know how to play drums. It's one thing to think you've got the concepts down for how

a drum beat really works. I think I fit into this category. It's another thing when a real

drummer says “a hi-hat click should go there”. I'd say “there?”. They say “Oh yeah!” as if it's

just a given to hit a hi-hat during a tom fill. It turned out that I had only scratched the surface

and had no idea what I was really doing.

So, as you can see, there are tons of little drum intricacies to think about when trying to mimic

a real drum performance with a mouse. I'm of the opinion that you will never get a drum track

perfect with a mouse. You could literally spend your entire life working on an entire drum

track. I'm not talking about for a complicated drum song either. I'm not speaking of jazz or

death metal. I'm speaking of simple pop music drumming. You could spend your entire life

programming the drums for a Goo Goo Dolls song! In fact, it may even be easier to program

death metal. Granted, there will be more notes to hit, but the emphasis on groove is

dramatically reduced. The tolerance for robotic playing is much higher.

Personally, I didn't get into recording/producing music so that I could become the world's

greatest simulator of real drums with a mouse. Note: No one throws panties at the world's

greatest simulator of real drums with a mouse. I got into this ridiculous craft because I

wanted to make cool music (and possibly the panties thing). So, you can take this whole drum

programming as far as you want to in regard to simulating the real thing or you can do

whatever makes the song exciting. It's amazing just how powerful you can make a drum

performance with a mouse in ten hours. Then again, I think I'll just give the drummer a case

of beer to beat on plastic things!

My Basic Approach To Mouse Drum Programming

Let me explain my basic approach to drum programming in the attempt to simulate a real

287

drummer's natural performance. I am, by no means, an expert.

I like to sit down with the songwriter and come up with the drum beats for the intro, verse,

chorus, bridge, outro, and all other parts of the song. I'll program these drums in very quickly.

These parts will all be quantized and I'll copy and paste any parts that appear more than once

for a song. Before you jump me for copying and pasting, please remember that the end

result had better not sound like it was copied and pasted. I'm very much against copying and

pasting in music. In this case, I'm simply trying to get the basic framework of the drum part

complete. The songwriter dude/chick and I will work on this until we get all the basic parts

down for the song. The drums will sound stiff, but all creative elements (minus fills) should be

present. Once we are happy with a stiff, boring drum performance, I could add some fill and

we'd be done. Unfortunately, we are only beginning.

Note: If we were doing hip hop or dance music, the drums would be finished.

After we have the drum framework laid out, I then highlight the entire drum MIDI track and

randomize the velocities. This is just step 1. I do this simply to break up the monotonous feel

of MIDI drums and so my brain doesn't adapt too much to the sound of the robotic drumming.

This still sounds bad, but it at least adds a random element to the process.

I make the possible range of drum velocities fairly wide. In fact, I want it wide enough that I

sometimes say “where did that snare go?” and then I manually have to raise the velocity of

that snare hit a little to make it work. I've found that using a very wide range of drum

velocities is the only way to keep the drums from sounding fake. This will, of course, depend

on the samples you are using. Real drummers vary the intensity of each strike much more

than I initially realized. So now I go overboard with it right from the start. I can always change

it later.

288

Once we have randomized velocities and have all the major parts of the song programmed, I

now look at this track as one single performance. There will be no more cutting and pasting.

Each chorus will be programmed differently from the one before it. The same goes with the

versus. I think that cutting and pasting has a way of killing the vibe of a song even if it's

subconscious for songs that require a natural, human performance.

Now it's time to listen. It's pretty much a given that there will be certain sections of the song

where a real drummer would play harder than others. Generally speaking, a drummer

pounds more aggressively in the choruses than he would in the versus. I would immediately

go in and highlight the louder sections and boost the velocity of those parts that need to be

louder. How much? I don't know. I can't hear the song. It depends. Just try to make the

part fit the song. You figure it out. Play with it. Make sure you are using a function that does

not remove the randomness of the velocities we applied earlier. The velocities should still be

random, but should be louder.

Cubase has a “logical editor” that allows us to add X amount of velocity to each note. This

keeps our randomized sound, but allows us to maybe crank up the chorus by 10 or 20

velocity units. Sometimes these functions work very well. Other times, they do not feel right

or the original randomization is just wrong for the song. There are probably specific snare

hits that the drummer will always hit harder than other times. Again, the velocity that

drummers strike the drum with is not exactly random. Software cannot pick up on this.

Regardless, I want the velocity of the song to sound good throughout the song.

About this time, I usually find that I need my snare drum and kick drum to fit into a specific

range of random velocities and I need my cymbals and hi-hats to fit into another range of

random velocities. I can't recall ever triggering a cymbal or hi-hat with a velocity as high as

127! That's total death for the metal round things and for my ears! I can't recall ever using a

kick drum with a velocity as low as 42 except for maybe ghost notes. I would totally make fun

of a drummer who hit a kick drum that hard in real life during a loud section. The range it

289

works will depend on how the samples are set up. With the samples I'm used to working with,

I generally keep the snare in the 100-127 region for loud sections. The hi-hat and cymbals

tend to be quite a bit lower than that, usually in the 60-80 region, but it's depends on if we are

dealing with open hi-hats or closed hi-hats and how those fit into the song.

Note: This is entirely dependent on the samples you are triggering.

At this point in time, I go through each part of the song to make sure the velocities sound

good. I need the drums to change quite a bit. I want to hear the tone of the snare vary a little

bit with each hit. If there are drastic differences in level, we'll use compression to even these

out. I need to hear the more intense parts of the song in the drums. I need to hear the drums

sounding a little bit reserved in the quiet parts of the song.

Once the velocities are in order, it's time to screw up the timing. At the moment, the drums

are stiff and boring. We can drastically improve the feel of the song by getting those drums to

push and pull. We also want to add a hint of randomness in regard to the timing of each

drum just to make the track more human. I always struggle with this because there is a fine

line between too stiff and too loose. I always felt like I would be the biggest idiot in the world

if my sequenced drums sounded sloppy!

It's very important to understand that we aren't just randomizing the timing of the drums for

the sake of randomization. This won't do us much good. In fact, I'm positive that it would

sound worse than the stiff drumming. We are working on the timing of the song to increase

the emotional intensity of those drums.

Theoretically, the quantized sound should be perfect, right? This depends on how you define

perfect. I've probably already beat the topic of musical perfection to death, so I won't go into

too much depth here. If you measure musical perfection with a ruler, then the quantized

290

sound is technically “perfect”. If you measure musical perfection with goosebump meter

(WAY more accurate than any stupid ruler) then you may find that this quantized sound isn't

all that perfect at all. In fact it's holding back our music. This is not how “perfect” drummers

play.

You can see that clearly illustrated here.

So, the sound of quantized drums sucks and the sound of just blindly hitting the timing

randomizer sucks also. What does a person do? It's called hard labor. If I'm super serious

about a song, I'll go in, turn off the snapping-to-grid in Cubase, and literally adjust each and

every drum hit by hand. These are the days where I consider maybe going back to school

and getting a degree in accounting! (What's the difference!)

In order to preserve my sanity and also to keep music recording ranking higher than

accounting on my “fun” list, I seldom do this “by hand” stuff. (Note: If there is anything about

music recording that makes the idea of being raped in prison, or even worse, being an

accountant, higher on the fun list, find a way to eliminate this. Music recording should be

fairly sacred. If it's not fun to record music, you are better off doing lawn work or something.

Go out of your way to make recording fun, when possible. Granted, not every moment of

music recording is going to mimic the end of the movie “Major League” or “Goonies” but if

there is something that makes you not want to go back to your recording room, eliminate it!)

I have made the decision that doing this “by hand” is only going to happen if I'm really

motivated. I'm motivated by promises of world domination, free food, and one more thing.

What was it? Oh yeah! MONEY! If I'm doing a song just for fun and I don't get a chance to

rule Earth, get a free meal out of the deal, or don't get about $1,000,000 transferred to the

Swiss bank account I just imagined, I avoid this like the plague.

291

Let's get to it. The most important thing is the snare. The snare controls way more of the feel

of the song than I had ever realized previously. I just never took notice of the way that the

snare takes a song that stays locked at 140bpm and transforms it into a song that feels faster

in some parts and slower in others. For all practical purposes, the kick drum stays fairly tight

with the downbeat, but the snare can vary quite a bit.

Say we are working with an intense chorus that we want to sound exciting and “fast” as

possible. In this case, I want the snare out front. I definitely do not want it landing on exactly

beat 2 and beat 4. I want it ahead. How far ahead? How should I know? I'm not

programming your song! Experiment. Listen. You'll figure it out. Try extreme settings and

see what happens.

As mentioned above in the prison rape analogy, I need a little extra motivation to program

each individual drum by hand. Luckily, the really good MIDI sequencers (like the one in

Cubase SX3) have functions that really help with this. They have included tools to help with

groove. I'm not sure if I just skipped the manual on those or what, but I've had better luck

with “logical functions”. It basically just means “smart MIDI thing” to me.

I set Mr. Logical Function Accountant (Cubase Logical Editor) to take all the snare hits and

randomly push them ahead in the song by X range. What range? How should I know? I

haven't heard your song! Experiment. I'm not sure if Cubase uses the same units as

everyone else or not, but they are called “ticks” in Cubase. These are PPQ or “parts per

quarter note”. I can't remember ever pushing more than 10 ticks. So now the snare is going

to be ahead by 1-10 ticks. In this case, it NEVER comes in late enough to actually land

perfectly on beat 2 and beat 4. Never! If we want this part of the song to push, there is no

reason to let it slip into neutral territory.

If you have never noticed this “pushed snare” phenomenon, pull up 20 of your favorite drum

songs that you believe were played by a real drummer. Really pay attention and tap out the

292

timing. If you don't notice the snare moving early in the driving parts of the song, you

probably aren't listening with enough detail. When you train your brain to listen at this level of

detail, it's blatantly obvious. If you don't hear it now, wait until you program a few songs. You

can really hear it on punk stuff because the guitars and bass are usually pushing ahead of the

beat too. If you were to fire a song like this up in your recording software and look at the grid,

you'd see that on 2 and 4 the snare and guitars are ahead but not so much on 1 and 3.

Now I like to highlight the kick drum section. The kick drum hits can't push nearly as far as

the snare drum The kick really needs to stay fairly anchored to the the downbeat. If we were

to push the kick and snare ahead by the same amount, the two would sort of cancel each

other out. There would be no noticeable change in “feel”. With that said, I don't want the kick

drum locked on beat 1 and beat 3 perfectly. I want to vary it some. So maybe I'll use Mr.

Logical Function again and move the kick drum with a range of +2 to -2. This means that the

kick drum could be moved ahead by 2 ticks or moved behind by 2 ticks. This is a fairly subtle

setting. For all I know, no one will hear it, but it makes me feel better knowing that all the kick

drums aren't on 0. There is no drummer ever in the history of the universe who would land on

zero every time.

Now that the kick and snare sound pretty fun, I’ll bet our hi-hats and cymbals sound strange,

at best. They are still locked to the quantized grid. The hi-hats and cymbals should be pretty

close in time with kick and snare. I find it distracting to hear a snare and a hi-hat immediately

behind when the two should be struck simultaneously. So, I go in by hand and just sort of

quickly drag each hi-hat hit to more or less match that of the snare and kick drum. I don't

measure. I don't look at numbers. I don't try too hard. I want a chaotic element in the hi-

hats. I'm just trying to reduce the “distraction factor”. When I play the track back the drums

should sound fairly real. They should be dynamic. Elements should change. It should sound

fairly human. If the drum track is dynamic, fairly real, and fairly human, that part is done for

now.

293

I repeat this process for each individual section of the song. I decide if I want a given part to

push aggressively, push lightly, stay neutral, pull just a bit, or pull heavily. There are times for

all of these in any typical song I record. A good, real drummer does this automatically with

zero brain power. (You can bet on it!) A good drum programmer must do this with tons of brain

power, unfortunately.

The final step is making sure that our dynamics work. If our random dynamics aren't working,

change them. There will be snare hits where you say “that sounds weird” because it is too

loud or too soft for the given section in the song. It's no big deal to adjust them even if the

programming ends up being not-so-random.

In the end, it doesn't really matter what settings you used. The only thing that matters is the

intensity of the song. If you can excite the listener or make them feel something, you win.

Only you can figure out exactly what this means to you in this particular song. I hesitate to

give too many specific values because there is tremendous variety from song to song and

part to part. This stuff, like just about everything in this dumb book, it trying to make sense

about a subject that is mostly trial and error. It's extremely important to be able to adjust to

whatever the song calls for. Don't ever hesitate to use extreme values and push the limits to

what you can get away with. Just make sure you have the “taste” to know when what you are

doing is good or bad.

Q Drum Samples Are you worried about songs: :

losing their individuality?

There is some concern, I guess, that when everyone starts using the same samples that the

world of drums loses its individuality. Up to this point, no two albums sound the same for me.

No band ever sounds exactly the same from album number one to album number two even if

the sound of the band hasn't changed. I guess if a band used the same drum samples for

two consecutive albums those albums could lose their individuality a bit. Am I worried? Not

294

really. If a band can stick around long enough to make a second album I'll be surprised.

Even with the same samples, drummers themselves still sound uniquely different. It has

much to do with how hard they hit the drums and their playing style in general, and how all

that playing combines with all the other playing. If the modern, ultra-realistic drum samples

have done their job the subtleties of the drummer should come out.

Even with the same exact drum samples, is anyone really going to notice that the Slipknot-

style song has the same drum sound as John Coltrane-style song? Who is to say? I guess

in the long run, songs could lose their individuality, but I think it is human nature to ditch

individuality anyway. We travel in herds. I guess we are all still fighting off the lions and the

bears. When one revolutionary album comes out fifteen clones are out in the next three

months anyway. In the end, what difference does it make? Bottom line. I can record robo

pro-sounding drums using samples or I can fight my room, drum tuning, and a billion other

things. I can use great-sounding samples or make a trip to a nearby studio and rent out a

great-sounding room and an engineer for $1,000 per day, if I can get a deal. It's simply more

economical to record with the samples.

With that in mind, the samples are tools. They help with the process, but I'm still gonna do

stuff to the drums. Why? I'm not sure. I have problems. I actually think the bigger issue is

when this hi-fi sounding drum track from mega sounding samples is combined with not-so-

mega sounding guitars, vocals, etc. This is the real dilemma! When all of that stuff finds a

way to combine with the samples in a way that really works, then we can worry about

sounding like everyone else.

I do want to mention that there will always be bands who insist on using their real drums and

even when we layer the same old samples on top of them the individual sound of the player

always comes out. (At least it does for me.) The work I've done using the same samples is

practically impossible to pick out.

295

Q Do you have to think like a drummer to program:

great MIDI drums?

A: I don't think so, but it can’t hurt. I think it's more important to think like a great songwriter

or a great producer. In other words, you simply need the ability to realize your own vision in

regard to the music as a whole. There is no magical drummer logic. (It's often quite the

opposite).

There is no rule that says that just because a person has been beating on round things for

years, he/she will be able to come up with “better” drum parts than you. I've certainly had

problems with session drummers over the years who needed to play straight beats and

instead wanted to play weird, dumb polyrhythms. I'm not implying that polyrhythms are weird

and dumb all the time, but they certainly were in the sessions I'm talking about. So, in that

situation, sometimes being a drummer is a bad thing.

Then again, a drummer has been hitting round things a long time and has probably already

been in this situation before. That drummer has probably already thought of possibilities in

this situation and may have a better idea what will work and what won't work. However, I

usually find that when I produce, I need to push a drummer this way or that way to get the

most out of the song. So, I personally believe that most powerful way to get a great drum

performance is with a great drummer and a great producer working together for the sake of

the song.

When it comes to programming, however, I'm not exactly sure how much benefit there is to

being a drummer. I guess it's possible for a non-drummer to have a boring drum track and

not know why that drum track is boring. That is certainly a possibility and a drummer would

be able to solve it immediately by saying “Oh, switch to your ride here and do a fill there”.

Then again, there could be some creative benefit from not having a clue what you are doing

and simply making music.

296

I think it's all in how you approach it. If you go into a recording scared that it won't sound

natural, you will probably make a recording that sounds like you were scared that it wouldn't

sound natural. If you go into a record with the mentality that you are going to make

something that is musically intense and powerful, the end result will be musically intense and

powerful. You don't lose points because you hit a snare and two cymbals at the same time

regardless if this would require a three-armed drummer.

Much of this discussion depends on your needs. I'm of the opinion that a person who needs

real sounding drums should just use a drummer. There is a huge difference between

programming drums for jazz music and programming drums for Nine Inch Nails or Madonna.

How important is the “real” factor? The more “real” you require your performance to sound,

the more you need to think like a real drummer. There are many great songs out there that

don't utilize real drums or real drum thinking and are better for it. However, when the song

calls for the sound, energy, and feeling that only a human being is capable of, nothing beats

recording a real drummer.

When you toss the rules out, there could definitely be instances where a real drummer

couldn't hope to compete with programming. Regardless of what you decide, do it for the

power of the music and make sure to make a bold statement when you do it.

Q How Do I Convert MIDI To Wav: " "

I've probably gotten 150 emails this month alone from people needing help "converting" MIDI

to Wav. I'm glad people are understanding that MIDI is just data, but that's only the half of it.

I think "converting" may be a little off base. It's like wife beaters calling what they do

"teaching". We don't run our MIDI through some little utility that spits out a wav file like

converting a wav file to mp3 or something. That's not what is going on.

297

What is going is you run this MIDI data to a synth or sampler. Then the synth or sampler spits

out audio. I guess some of you could call this process "converting" but that's a stretch in my

book. (Get it? This is my book! Sorry, that's not very funny.) Anyhow, we now have sound

spitting out the outputs of our synth/sampler.

When people ask about converting MIDI to wav, they are really asking what to do with audio

coming out of their synth/sampler. Let's get to it.

Hardware

We are assuming you already have the MIDI track recorded.

When you hit record, the MIDI track is "played" and the stream of MIDI data hits the

synth/sampler, triggers the noise, and spits it out to outputs.

To record this audio using hardware, the outputs of the synth/sampler need to be sent to

inputs 1/2 (for stereo) of your audio interface. You record it just like you would vocals or a

microphone.

Virtual Instruments (Software)

In you are using virtual instruments within your recording software, "converting" is easy. The

audio output of the synth is already directly routed to a channel in your software's mixer. All

you need to do is render the output of just that channel the synth is using. It's super easy in

most recording software.

If that isn't an option (yuck!) you can simply solo the channel and render the stereo output just

like you would a full mix. You probably want to turn off any processing you may be doing on

the 2bus (see glossary).

298

You'll want to import the wav file into your project then and ditch the virtual instrument to save

CPU power. (I usually hang on to the MIDI track just in case I screw something up.)

299

Glossary

A D Converter /

(See Converter)

Absorption Coefficients

This is a complicated way of saying the frequency response of material used as sound

absorbers when applying acoustic treatment to your room. By looking at the absorption

coefficients, we can tell if our targeted frequencies will actually be absorbed by this material.

The most obvious issue with acoustical absorption is the fact that the low end is not absorbed

by most of the urban legend recommendations (carpet, egg crates, etc.). By looking at the

absorption coefficients we can immediately tell if the product is going to absorb low end. If

the product absorbs high end and midrange reflections but ignores low end, our room will

begin to sound boomy, or worse; room modes will run rampant.

Analog Inputs

In layman’s terms, analog means a physical wave. An A/C (alternating current) electrical

signal is analog. Sound in the air is analog. A speaker is an analog device that creates sound

waves. In the modern recording world, where digital is king, analog signals must be converted

to digital signals to be used by the digital device.

Analog inputs are found in an audio interface. Audio interfaces with built in preamps only

need an XLR or 1/4” input plugged into their analog inputs. Audio interfaces that do not have

built in preamps require that you plug your mics and instruments into a preamp connected to

300

the audio interface. Both cases represent analog inputs because the sound has not yet been

converted to digital.

The reason we have to specify “analog inputs” is because the manufacturers will potentially

mislead people with their claims of a “10 Channel Audio Interface” or “26 Channel Audio

Interface” when there significantly fewer actual analog inputs. See the audio interface chapter

for details.

Anechoic Chamber

This is a room designed to measure the frequency response of speakers and such. It's a

room that has about as close to zero reflections as possible. From what I'm told, being in

such a room is scary because the human ear will never ever hear this type of sound under

natural circumstances.

Arming

If you were to hit Record on your recording machine nothing would happen until you actually

had a track that was armed. Physically switching a track so that it will record when you press

the record is known as arming. We require this functionality because we may not want to

record over our guitar tracks we did last week when fixing a vocal today.

Arrangement

The way a song is structured and the various layers are introduced and taken away. For

example, the decision to start a song with just an acoustic guitar and vocal, introduce hi-hats

in the first pre-chorus, and then slam the song into overdrive in the chorus make up

arranging. Arranging is about highlighting what needs to be highlighted, taking away what will

be distracting, and basically lining up all the individual pieces of the song together for

maximum musical intensity. One of many handy uses for music manuscript paper.

The arrangement is extremely important to audio engineering. An example would be an

301

acoustic guitar where the player is only hitting the G, A, and then A# notes on the Low E and

the bass player is just hitting a G low the Low E. It will become difficult to hear what the

instruments are doing individually. By moving the bass an octave up to the next G, the

notes within the acoustic guitar will become dramatically clearer. It's up to the person doing

the arranging to gauge the musical effectiveness of each decision.

ATA

ATA is a format of connecting hard drives and CD-ROM drives to the computer’s

motherboard. It's been an accepted standard since the late 1990’s but by the mid 2000’s had

been slowly replaced by SATA.

Audio Interface

An audio interface is a device that allows you send audio to and from your computer. An

audio interface is essentially the same thing as a soundcard. However, we usually don't refer

to consumer-grade soundcards (like the stock soundcard in your computer or Soundblaster

cards you can purchase at Best Buy) as audio interfaces.

An audio interface must be low latency. A signal must be able to travel from a microphone, to

a preamp, to an audio interface, to the computer, to the software, back through all this mess

again, and into your headphones real time. Most soundcards made for gaming are way too

slow to handle this process. If you attempt to use a high latency soundcard for music

recording, you will experience an undesirable delay when attempting to monitor anything real-

time that passes through the computer..

Because of latency, a real-deal audio interface is highly recommended for recording music.

302

There are other reasons to use an audio interface. The conversion from analog to digital

(A/D) is going to be more accurate and better sounding with a real deal recording audio

interface.

If you are looking for an audio interface and aren’t exactly sure which one is right for you, I

highly recommend the Home Recording Soundcard Wizard I created. You can quickly search

for the exact features you require and ignore the features you don’t need. The Soundcard

Wizard will save you 10 hours of research.

Automatic Delay Compensation

Automatic Delay Compensation is a feature found in some recording programs that

automatically compensates for the processing time caused by plugins.

If you have zero plugins on an audio track #1, it takes X amount of time for your recording

computer to play back that track. If you have another track (audio track #2) with a

compressor on the insert, your computer will take X + compressor plugin processing time to

play back the audio. Let’s just say it takes an extra 3ms to play back the track with the

compression on it. In this case, audio track #1 is now out of sync with with audio track #2. If

the tracks are similar in nature, this can cause problems with the timing of the performance

and lead to comb filtering (which is an audio engineering nightmare!)

Most good recording programs have Automatic Delay Compensation. This means the

program automatically adds up the processing time of each track and aligns all the tracks so

that they play at the same time without any phase problems.

303

Autotune

Autotune is a product made by Antares which was developed to modify pitch of single-

instrument tracks. If a musicians had an incredible take, but there was a pitch problem, the

take could be saved by fixing the pitch. However, the result is that too many singers rely on

autotune to fix their pitch problems. While autotune can help improve the pitch of a recording,

it's not magic. It doesn't work perfectly.

Autotune is the tool of choice for those looking for the “Cher effect” which quantizes all

pitches in a vocal to the closest note in the scale. This is also known as the “T-Pain” sound

by the younger crowd.

Aux Send

An Aux Send is part of the routing on a mixer or virtual mixer in a recording software

application. It allows you to keep your vocal routed as it normally would be, but also send a

signal to another bus for further processing. The most popular use of Aux Sends is reverb

and delays. To add space to a vocal, a reverb processor or plugin is placed on Aux #1 and

then the vocal track is sent to Aux #1, whose output goes to the 2-bus.

Any track on a mixer can be sent to an Aux Send. It's very common to use one or two reverb

algorithms for all the reverbs on an entire song and then adjusting the reverb level for each

instrument by tweaking the amount of level sent to the aux.

Axis

Axis deals with the positioning of a sound source in relation to a listening device (like your

ears or a microphone). If you have a speaker pointed directly at your head, it’s known as

being “on axis”. If the speaker is pointed directly towards your head, but your buddy with you

304

is to the side, the speaker is “off axis” to him.

With speakers, it’s always an issue of how the high end changes when you are off axis from

the speaker. Obviously, if the high end is not shooting right at you, it will be less audible. The

low end is much less directional. This is why studio monitors usually have a “sweet spot”.

Miking can also be done off axis with the mic in relationship to a speaker in a guitar amp, for

example. If the mic is shooting directly at the cone, the mic is “on axis”. If the mic is turned so

that it’s not shooting directly at the speaker, it is considered “off axis”. The angle at which we

mic our instruments can have a dramatic effect on the captured sound of that instrument.

Bandwidth

“Q” is another word for bandwidth. It’s a term most often found in parametric equalizers. Let’s

say you bump 1kHz up by 6dB with a parametric EQ. If you use a very narrow Q (or high

number) the bump affects other frequencies much less. In this example, 500Hz is probably

not touched at all by the bump. But if you lower the Q, the EQ processing will effect a much

wider range of frequencies.

Just remember the “width” of the parametric EQ's boost or cut is called “Q”.

Bass Traps

A bass trap is a form of acoustical treatment that is designed to absorb the low end

frequencies bouncing around the room. There are many different designs for bass traps that

are intended to absorb various frequencies.

Bass traps are a requirement in control rooms because most control rooms have radical

ambience in the low end causing inaccurate monitoring conditions. These low frequency

problems are caused by room modes. The reason you should be concerned about room

305

modes is they are the number one reason for mixes not translating to the outside world even

though they may sound great on the studio monitors you are mixing on.

Bleed

Bleed is the extra stuff that gets into the microphone. For example, if you record a floor tom

track, you will still hear plenty of kick, snare, cymbals, and other toms. This is called bleed.

In some instances, bleed is a terrible thing that should be avoided. In other instances, bleed

is HIGHLY welcome and can add a 3D quality to the recording. Generally speaking, I happen

to like instruments bleeding into the mics of other instruments in moderation. It does add

something good to the music in most cases.

Boost

Boost is a term used in equalization. When we say “Boost 2K by 3dB” we mean “increase

2,000 Hz by 3 decibels on a parametric equalizer.

Bounce

A bounce or “bouncing” is the process of combing multiple tracks together to make room for

more tracks. This is used in situations where you have a limited track count. It's more

common to do this with tape machines or all-in-one standalone recorders, but it can also be a

great way to free up tracks in recording software with limited track counts.

Breakout Box

A breakout box is found on many multichannel soundcards that connect to your computer

through a PCI card, but every USB 1.1, USB 2.0, or Firewire audio interface IS the breakout

box.

In order to reduce the noise of your recorded tracks, all analog to digital conversion are done

306

in a box that is several feet away from your computer and connected a computer via a cable.

The idea is that your computer can add noise and distortion if analog signals get too close to

it. So, soundcards convert the signal to digital before it even gets to the computer. It’s also

just plain handy not to have to connect the rest of your gear’s cables to an already over-

cabled computer.

Bus

A bus is a term used to when discussing the routing of signals. A bus is any place on a mixer

or recording software where signals can be combined. It’s like a city bus. Signals get on,

travel a while and then get off. For example, if we had 10 mics on the drums, we could route

all 10 drums mics to the drum bus. The advantage of this is substantial. We can now apply a

compressor across all the drums at the same time. We can EQ all the drums at the same

time. We have a single fader that can control the volume of all the drums at once.

It's common to use several busses in a mix. I'll often use a bus for drums, a bus for electric

guitars, a bus for lead vocals (if the vocals are doubled or there is more than one lead vocal

track), and a bus for background vocals. This can greatly simplify the mixing process but still

leaves you the option to apply processing to the individual tracks.

A common question is “What is a 2-bus?”. A 2-bus is the master fader or master stereo out.

On a mixer it's usually the fader on the far right. This is where “mastering” style effects can

be placed.

Cardioid

Cardioid describes the pickup pattern of a microphone of most dynamic and some condenser

microphones. Cardioid microphones are also called directional microphones. If you point the

mic at the ceiling, the mic will pick up sound coming from the ceiling and reject sound coming

from the floor and to a less degree, the side walls. For a detailed explanation of “Cardioid”

see the chapter on Microphones in Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering.

307

Chipset

In layman's terms, a chipset is a series of circuits connected together inside a computer. For

recording, you just need to understand that most audio interfaces have at least one chipset

they don't get along with. This is true for all Firewire, USB 2.0, USB 1.1, and PCI devices.

Do the research before purchasing any equipment using these types of connections.

Clipping

When an amplifier has been pushed to the point of the distortion, the audio signal is clipped.

Ideally, a theoretical waveform looks like a pretty sine wave that’s very smooth. An audio

amplifier has a limit to how much output it can push out. If an audio engineer tries to push too

much signal (or too big of waveform) out of that amplifier, the amplifier can only make the

waves so tall which turns the peaks of the waveforms into essentially horizontal lines. If a

waveform is distorted enough, it starts looking more like a “square”. The term “square wave”

comes from waves that have this quality.

Clipping, or distorting, a guitar amplifier is often a pleasing thing. Clipping a digital signal is

almost always an unpleasing thing.

Clock

See Wordclock

Chorus

Chorus is an effect that manipulates pitch of a signal and blends it with a dry signal to create

a spacey type of sound. For a further explanation of “Chorus” see Killer Home Recording:

Murderous Mixing.

Comb Filtering

Comb filtering describes a situation where combining multiple signals causes the resulting

308

signal's frequency response to look like a comb. The resulting tone is nasally, unfocused, and

highly undesirable. For a detailed explanation, see Audio Engineering.

Condenser Microphone

Examples of condenser microphones include Neumann U87, AKG 414, Audio Technica AT-

4050, and Oktava MK-012. When people think of the stereotypical “studio mic” they usually

think of a condenser mic in a shockmount. Condenser mics require phantom power. Tube

condenser mics typically have separate power supplies and don’t use phantom power.

Condensers do get used for most of the pretty stuff. They are used most of the time on drum

overheads, vocals, and acoustic guitars. You can pretty much use a condenser mic on

anything you want and it most cases it will take it, but there are times when condensers bring

out the details that are not flattering to the instrument.

There are two types of condenser mics: large diaphragm and small diaphragm.

Small diaphragm condensers look like pencils. They are long and skinny. They are usually

exceptionally fast and this gives them the appearance of being bright. Large diaphragm

condensers are what everyone thinks of as “studio mics” and are much larger. They are

typically used for vocals.

Every studio should have a variety of condenser mics. When it comes to getting detailed,

sparkly sounds, it’s tough to beat a condenser.

Control Room

The control room is the room where most of the work is done by the engineer or producer.

You often see the big boy studios that contain an enormous mixing console, racks and racks

of gear, and a window view of a glorious live room.

Since critical audio decisions are made in a control room, it is extremely important that the

acoustics of this room be amazingly flat and the studio monitoring extremely accurate. This is

the one major flaw of recording at home. Seldom are control rooms in home recording

studios accurate. This leads to mixes that don't translate well to the outside world.

309

Converter

A converter is a device that converts an analog signal to digital or converts a digital signal to

analog. All digital recording systems must use a converter at some point since all speakers

require an analog signal to produce sound and all digital equipment requires digital signals to

function.

The converters can have a subtle effect on the quality of recording. For most home recording

people, the converters included in an audio interface are very good. The most hardcore of

engineers will find the subtle improvement in high end converters pleasing to the ear. (If you

want to hear high end converters in action, see The Interrogator Sessions.)

Convolution Reverb

Convolution reverb utilizes a technology which samples an acoustical space, giving you the

ability to apply that acoustical space to any instrument you want. Convolution reverbs allow

you to create your own reverbs from real acoustical spaces (or anything else reverberant, like

a pie tin or cardboard box).

Most convolution reverb plug-ins will allow you to sample your own spaces with an impulse.

This impulse is a burst of sound. The impulse will bounce around the room. Analyzing the

resulting recording, the software then can remove the impulse part of the sound and figure

out what is left. It seems to work fairly well at capturing the sound of a given room. This

process requires an immense amount of mathematical computation, making it a processor

hog.

Copying and Pasting

Just like your word processing software can highlight a section, copy it, and then paste it

elsewhere, the same can be applied to audio recordings. A chorus could be copied and

pasted 3 times so the band doesn't have to play the chorus 3 times.

310

Cut

Cut is a term that is used in equalization. When we say “Cut 2k by 3dB”, we mean “reduce

2,000Hz by 3 decibels on a parametric equalizer.

D A Converter /

(See Converter)

DAW

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation. It’s a fancy way of saying “computer used for

recording”.

Decca Tree

A stereo miking scheme utilizing three omni mics forming a triangle. It's most popular in

gigantic rooms for recording orchestras and such. The results are not usually so effective in

small rooms typically found in the home recording environment.

Delay

Delay is a time-based effect used to create space on a track. It's most obvious form is the

“echo”, but delay can be used as a excellent alternative to reverb. For a more detailed

explanation of delay, see Killer Home Recording: Murderous Mixing.

Drivers

All hardware devices within a computer are just a heap of capacitors, resistors, and other

electronic components until we give them “instructions” on what to do and explain to the

operating system of the computer what it should be doing with a particular component. These

“instructions” are called drivers.

311

You will need drivers for any audio interface, Firewire card, USB card, and practically anything

else you add to your computer. In some instances, your computer will already have the

drivers you need.

DI

DI stands for direct injection. The most common applications are bass and acoustic guitar.

With a DI, the signal goes straight out of the guitar through a cable, into some device, and

straight to the soundcard. You can record without making a sound in the room or at least not

much sound. See the Chapter on Recording Bass for a further explanation of bass DI.

Digital Inputs

Many audio interfaces allow you to input a digital signal to increase the total number of

simultaneous inputs using an external A/D Converter.

A digital input expects the signal to be already converted from analog to digital.

There are several formats of digital signals. S/PDIF is probably the most popular but only

passes a stereo signal. ADAT Lightpipe is cable of sending up to 8 tracks depending on the

sample rate of those tracks per Lightpipe connection. AES/EBU (a relative of S/PDIF) is

capable of sending two signals, but is usually found on more high-end equipment.

For a detailed explanation of “Digital Inputs”, see the Audio Interface chapter.

Direct Monitoring

Direct monitoring refers to the ability of an audio interface to bypass the computer to allow for

zero latency monitoring (via either headphones or studio monitors) while tracking. Without

direct monitoring, a vocal must pass through a microphone, to a preamp, to an audio interface

(the audio interface may have the preamps built in), to the computer's hardware, to the

312

computer's operating system, to the recording software, back out to the operating system,

computer hardware, audio interface, and into the headphones.

Astonishingly, this is very possible with a low latency audio interface if the computer is up to

the task. There will always be a little latency with this method, but few can hear it.

However, there are times when it would be preferred to run a vocal mic straight to a preamp

and then immediately to the headphones. This frees up the computer to focus on playing

back the previously recorded tracks and recording the new vocal.

The one disadvantage of direct monitoring is that it usually is not possible to apply plug-ins to

effects to headphone mix without applying them to the recorded track. I like to hit vocals

hard with compression in the headphones quite often. Some singers like a little reverb or

delay. I prefer to use the plug-ins within my recording software.

Dry

Dry refers to a condition where a track has no effects applied to it. If a vocal sounds “dry”,

this means that it sounds like the singer is singing straight into your ear without any space

around it.

Effects often have a “mix” control between “wet” and “dry” which allows you to blend in the

amount of “wet” signal you'd like. This is very useful on an insert, but not as useful on an

auxiliary send.

Dual Boot

Dual boot describes a computer setup in which there are two operating systems installed.

When the computer starts up, it asks which operating system you'd like to load up. On my

laptop, I have my main operating system which I do web work and such on. Then I have a

313

second operating system that has been fully optimized for recording. For more details, check

out Killer Home Recording: Setting Up.

Ducking

When the Nazis are lobbing their 88mm cannons at us and I yell, “Duck!” it means I want you

to get the hell out of the way. Ducking is similar. It means we send a signal (maybe a lead

vocal) to the sidechain input of a compressor (maybe electric guitars). When the vocal kicks

in, the guitars “duck” (compress) and get out of the way. When the vocals back off, the

guitars leap out just a bit.

Dynamic Microphone

Examples of Dynamic mics are the Shure SM57, Shure SM58, Sennheiser MD421, and

ElectroVoice RE20. Dynamic microphones require no phantom power to operate. While

many dynamic microphones are often referred to as “live mics” by beginners, this is an

inaccurate claim. Dynamic microphones are typically on all sorts of instruments in many

more studio situations than is often assumed.

For a detailed explanation of dynamic microphones, see the Microphones chapter.

Early Reflections

Early reflections refer to the first, distinct reflection you hear in an acoustical space. Early

reflections refer to both room acoustics and reverb effects. Early reflections have a big effect

on the way our ears interpret distance of the instrument in a mix. For a further explanation on

“Early Reflections” see the acoustics chapters in Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering.

Feedback

Feedback is another word for an endless loop. The most popular example of feedback is the

electric guitar amp. The sound from the amplifier actually causes the strings of the guitar to

314

vibrate, which then causes sound to come out of the electric guitar, which causes the strings

to vibrate even more. This is feedback or sometimes called “infinite sustain”.

In a live sound situation, the vocalist sings into a microphone. Sound comes out of the

monitors and mains. If the sound level from the speakers is louder than the sound of the

singer (from the mic's perspective) that sound gets back into the mic, which comes out the

speakers, and we once again have an endless loop.

Another situation is with delay effects. The signal is delayed by X milliseconds. By increasing

the feedback setting, we actually send the delayed signal back into the front input of the delay

causing it to delay yet again.

Flutter Echo

Flutter echo occurs in environments that need acoustic treatment. When you clap your

hands, it's natural to hear reflections, but flutter echo is the extra ringing quality. Untreated

parallel walls can be one cause, but flutter echo can also occur in corners or in places where

too many reflections occur too quickly. Generally smaller rooms suffer from flutter echo the

worst. Flutter echoes also generate comb filtering and room modes.

Freezing

Freezing is a feature used in DAWs to conserve CPU power while mixing. Freezing allows

you to take a track and automatically render it down, replace the CPU intensive effects,

samples, or synths with a single wave file. The result is a dramatically reduced load on your

computer's processor. With a touch of a button, you can “unfreeze” a track to restore all the

original effects, synths, and samples for further manipulation.

Figure 8

Figure 8 describes a mic's pickup pattern. Some mics pick up sound from one direction

315

(cardioid). Some mics pick up sound in a complete circle all around the mic (omnidirectional).

A figure 8 mic picks up sound from the front of the microphone and the back of the

microphone but rejects the sides strongly. This makes it good for recording two singers with

one on each side of the mic. There are a number of other applications for this. Anytime you

need to pick up two sources but need to reject the sound coming from the sides, the Figure 8

can be used.

Figure 8 is also good for letting the room into the mic which can lead to more natural

sounding tracks. Figure 8 patterns yield the strongest proximity effect of all mic patterns.

For a more detailed explanation of “Figure 8”, see the chapter on Microphones.

Filter

A filter is frequently found in a parametric equalizer. A high-pass filter is used to completely

remove all frequencies below a certain point (only letting the high frequencies pass through)

and a low-pass filter is designed to remove all frequencies below a specific frequency.

Firewire

Firewire is not so much a term for audio, but more of a high speed port on your computer.

Firewire is also known as IEEE 1394. Sometimes they just refer to it as 1394. Firewire is the

most popular method for connecting an audio interface to a computer.

Recently, external DSP processing via Firewire has become popular. In other words,

processors designed to power plugins can be used via the Firewire port. Check out the

Focusrite LiquidMix as an example.

Formant

A formant is the meat of the sound of a vocal or instrument. Let's assume we want to pitch

316

shift a vocal up 2 half-steps. If we simply shift the entire vocal we'll also be shifting up

breaths, consonants (such as the “s” and “t” sounds) that have no real pitch value, and who

knows what other kinds of noises. It doesn't take long before the vocal sounds like Alvin and

the Chipmunks.

We can shift just the formants up 2 half-steps. This sounds dramatically more natural. It

sounds as if the vocalist just sang higher if a top-notch pitch shifter is used. This keeps all the

idiosyncrasies the same and only shifts the “meat” of the vocal with pitch content.

Fundamental Frequency

If we were to listen to a sine wave via a synth or other tone generator, we'd hear a signal that

is free of any harmonics. The sound we'd hear would contain one single frequency. This is

the fundamental frequency. When we deal with acoustical instruments we find that the

differences between instrument are defined by their harmonics that may be lower or higher

than that fundamental frequency.

For example, if we were to strike the 7th fret on the A string of a Bass (E) we'd technically be

striking the same note on the same octave as an acoustic or electric guitar would if it were to

hit an open E. The fundamental frequency of all three instruments would be the same, but

the strength of the harmonics above and below the fundamental frequency would allow us to

discern between a bass guitar, an acoustic guitar, and an electric guitar.

Gain Based Effects-

Gain-based effects are effects like EQ and compression that alter the level or volume of the

signal.

Time-based Effects are effects like reverb, delay, and chorus. These effects manipulate the

time of the signal.

Gate

A gate is a processor that lets us allow only the portion of the signal that exceeds the

threshold to pass through. A common practice for a gate is to use it on the close mic of the

317

snare drum to reduce the amount of hi-hat bleed. The gate is set to close (not let signal pass

through) when the signal of that snare track falls below a threshold. When the level of that

track crosses the threshold (when a snare drum is struck) the gate opens up and the signal

passes through.

Gates are popular for reducing noise, reducing apparent bleed in drum tracks, using the

gated reverb trick (popular in the ‘80s), and many other techniques.

General MIDI GM ( )

General MIDI served in the Revolutionary War along with Roosevelt. So I just cracked a joke

(however bad) in a glossary. I think that is against the rules.

Regardless, General MIDI is essentially just a standard that was agreed upon where all

preset sounds would follow the same order. This makes it possible to send a MIDI file

composed on one General MIDI synthesizer out to another GM synthesizer and the music

play back as originally intended.

General MIDI was more prominent and useful back in the “drum machine” era when entire

compositions were usually created on a single synthesizer. As sample libraries have replaced

synth sounds more and more and the technology in MIDI sounds has grown by leaps and

bounds the need for General MIDI has declined. MIDI is still used quite a bit online, on some

video games and on phones.

Gobo

A gobo is a divider that comes in handy for a ton of recording situations. A gobo is a partition

designed to minimize the bleed between instruments in a live recording. A gobo covered in

absorbing material may be used to knock down the ambiance in the drums for a room that

may be a little too live.

318

Gobos can be as simple as sheets of plywood. For a great discussion of Gobos see the

Beginner Construction Stuff in Killer Home Recording: Setting Up.

Golden Ratio

There is an optimal ratio for the dimensions of a room that provide amazing room acoustics

by evening out room modes. This is now known as the Golden Ratio. The Golden Ratio as

been used in numerous cathedrals around the world that stand out for their tremendous

acoustics.

Recording studios have extremely specialized acoustic needs, especially in control rooms

where accuracy of the monitoring system is important. Room modes wreak havoc on the

accuracy of the studio monitors in a control room. Building a room with the golden ratio will

help even these modes out before treatment is even applied.

The Golden Ratio is: 1 x 1.6 x 2.6

Generally 1 is the height of the room. So a room with a 10' foot ceiling should be 16' feet wide

and 26' feet long. A room with an 8' ceiling would be 12.8' wide and 20.8' long.

Harmonic Content

Some signals contain no harmonic content. These are known as pure sine waves. You often

hear these when dealing with old school synth sounds, old Nintendo games, or early ring

tones. If you were to check this signal on an oscilloscope (a machine used to look at

waveforms when working with electronics) you would see that the waveform is a perfect,

super-simple wave form like you would see in a science book. Now, if you were to strum a

guitar string or make any other noise that can be picked up by a microphone (except a flute)

and take a look at its waveform you would see much more going on. The waveform would

319

not be nearly as pretty and smooth. You would see/hear the fundamental frequency which is

the main, dominant frequency for that sound. You would hear/see harmonics appearing in

higher octaves. On top of all of these, we also have frequencies showing up that aren't

necessarily perfect octaves of the fundamental frequency. Much of this is the character that

separates the sound of an acoustic guitar from that of a piano or a distorted electric guitar.

The best analogy I have to explain harmonic content is adjusting the gain of an electric guitar

amp from 2 to 3. The signal becomes more saturated with distortion when the gain

increases, but we also hear more “stuff” happening at in the upper midrange frequencies.

This is a hit-head-with-sledgehammer example of harmonic content.

In the most extreme of cases, a clean, electric guitar sounds similar to an acoustic guitar (I

said similar! Work with me here!) When we crank the gain up to 10 on a high gain amplifier,

the sound is nothing like an acoustic guitar. This is a robo extreme example of harmonic

content.

In drastically more subtle terms, it's possible that using one mic, preamp, compressor, eq, etc

will give us a bit more harmonic content in a vocal track, for example. (This is one of the

reasons that tube mics are so popular on vocals.) From an audio engineering standpoint, I

would not necessarily call this distortion even though this is technically what it is. This extra

harmonic content gives the vocals more life and more air. It makes them sound prettier. The

vocals sound more alive but not in a way that that required EQ to get it. There is simply more

“action” going on in those upper midrange frequencies.

Headroom

Every audio electric circuit has a maximum amount of input signal (voltage) that it can handle.

As headroom increases, the maximum input signal without clipping also increases. This term

is used often to describe microphones or preamps that may need a pad but can also refer to

how much signal you have left before clipping within your recording software. The term

320

“headroom” essentially applies to any stage of the recording chain that can be overloaded.

High Pass Filter -

(See “Filter”)

Hi Z Inputs-In electronics land "Z" stands for impedance or resistance. "Hi-Z" actually refers to high

impedance which is found in guitar amp land. A Hi-Z input provides an input that is matched

to that of an electric guitar. Plugging an electric guitar directly into a mic preamp without Hi-Z

will result in a loss of upper midrange clarity.

IEEE 1394

(See Firewire)

Impedance

Impedance is an electronics term measured in ohms. It means resistance. Having a

complete and total understanding of impedance is not critical in recording, but there are a few

areas that you need to be aware of.

You sometimes see impedance switches on preamps. These switches affect the amount of

input impedance on the preamp. The relationship of the output impedance of the microphone

and the input impedance of the preamp can have quite an effect on the frequency response /

tone of the recorded signal.

The same concept comes up in audio interfaces with Hi-Z inputs designed for recording

electric guitar directly (not my favorite method). Hi-Z stands for “high impedance”. While you

could run a standard XLR microphone into a line level input, it will never sound any good

321

because the impedances are not matched properly. This is solved by the use of a DI box.

In The Box

In the old days, recording was done on analog tape. To mix the song, they’d send all channels

from the analog tape to a console (giant mixer). The mixing engineer would play with volume

levels, EQ, add effects, etc and the final result would be spit out the stereo outputs of the

mixer.

These days, all of this can be done inside the computer. We refer to mixing within the

computer as “in the box”. If a person is doing all their mixing “in the box” there is really no

need for a mixer at all because the software is taking care of it.

Integrated Audio

Integrated audio is not so much a term that directly effects home recording so much. It’s a

term that deals more with the computer side of things. Essentially, integrated audio means

that your computer’s motherboard comes with a soundcard built in.

While integrated audio is fine for casual listening, it is NOT designed for audio recording and

music production. It is HIGHLY recommended that you only use a soundcard that was

designed for computer recording.

Keying

This is the process of sending signal to a sidechain input. The signal being sent is known as

the “key”.

322

Latency

Latency is the amount of time it takes a signal to process within a computer. It has a huge

effect on monitoring. A low latency audio interface is required if you plan on hearing yourself

while cutting vocals and monitoring through your recording software or if you plan on playing

a virtual instrument (such as a synth or sample) from within your recording software.

Low Pass Filter -

(See “Filter”)

Line Level

Line Level refers to the level of signal required for certain audio equipment to function

properly. Microphones require a preamp to boost their signal up to line level. Drum machines,

keyboard, etc. usually output a line level signal by default

Map

A map is a term used in synth land to describe where the preset sound are located. For

example, General MIDI is a map. It defines where the piano is going to be and where the

helicopter sounds are. Some companies began moving their preset sounds around and when

MIDI was played through these synths, it came out sounding all wrong. Trumpets would

trigger snare drums and it ended up just being chaos. So, they came up with the idea of just

loading a map to route specific sounds to where they are supposed to go.

This is not something most of us are going to deal with when recording at home especially if

we are using a software sequencer to create our MIDI productions.

Mastering

Mastering is the third and final major step in the recording process following tracking and

mixing. Mastering the process of evening out levels, going for the same tonal vibe on all

songs, reducing the “distraction factor”, and making the album sound like an album and not

323

just a collection of mixes.

Microphone

A microphone is a device that converts changes in air pressure into electricity. When a

musical instrument (or any other noise for that matter) is played, a sound wave is shot

throughout the room. If you put your hand in front of your mouth and sing, you can actually

feel the sound shooting out of your mouth. These vibrations are a combination of frequencies.

A microphone can convert these vibrations into alternating current you see on the screen of

your recording software.

That's a stupid, sciency explanation. For the real explanation see the chapter on

Microphones.

Microphone Preamp

After a mic converts sound waves to electricity, the electricity produced is very small. In order

to use the signal coming from microphones in mixers, soundcards, etc., we must bump up to

“line level” with a mic preamp.

For a more detailed explanation preamps, see the chapter on “Mic Preamps”.

Mixing

Just like the name suggests, mixing is the combining of numerous audio tracks into one

stereo track. The combining of these tracks is quite an art and takes years and years to truly

master. Mixing has been around as long as recording. In the days of the huge recording horn,

it took the form of, “The trombone is too loud. Take one step back, trombone player, and don’t

play so loud.” Mixing has been made even more complicated by electronic recording and the

use of multiple microphones.

324

MIDI

MIDI was invented to allow us to record the performance… not necessarily the sound. For

example, a person starts pounding away at the MIDI keyboard. We can record that

performance and then run it through a different sound. It could be piano, a synth pad, trash

cans or violin samples.

For a further explanation of MIDI, see the chapter on MIDI Sequencing.

MIDI Controller

A MIDI Controller is that contraption that looks exactly like your stereotypical synth keyboard.

The only difference is a MIDI controller doesn't make sound. It can't. It has absolutely no

method for output audio. What it does do is output MIDI which you then use to trigger synths

and samples.

Mixing Console

A mixing console is that huge contraption that you picture in any big time recording studio that

allows the manipulation of individual audio tracks and then combines them into one stereo (or

5.1 track).

While the mixing console still has its place, more and more professionals are mixing inside

the box.

The big names in mixing consoles are SSL, Neve, Trident and API. There are others, but

these are the consoles you hear about the most.

Mono Compatibility

If a mix is a “mono compatible” it means that mix still sounds okay on a mono audio system.

325

It's possible for stereo tracks to completely disappear when listening on a mono TV or maybe

the background music at the mall.

For a further explanation of “Mono Compatibility” see the chapter on “Audio Engineering

Principals” in Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering.

Motherboard

A motherboard is a component inside a computer. The motherboard is the large circuit board

that everything in your computer connects to. The CPU/Processor, RAM, video cards,

soundcards, hard drives, and CD-ROMs all connect to your motherboard.

Some motherboards don’t work so well with certain computer audio equipment (see Chipset)

so it’s always a great idea to research a manufacturer to make sure that your equipment

meets their specifications.

mp3

An mp3 is a compressed digital audio format that is very popular online. It is designed to

sound okay but offer extremely small file size and very fast downloading. You DO NOT want

to render your mixes to this format. You want to render your mixes to the .wav format. mp3 is

just a great file type for web distribution and for generic hard disk portable music players.

Multi track Recording-

Multi-track recording is notion of recording all our microphones onto to separate tracks to

allow for their individual manipulation during the mixing process. The alternative is to record

the entire band live straight to a stereo source.

326

Noise Gate

A noise gate is simply a gate with minimal controls that is designed to kill all the noise when

there is no signal present. See “Gate” for a full explanation.

Computer-based recording has reduced the need of a noise gate to practically zero. With the

computer we can simply cut out the parts we don't want in a track in less time than would be

required to set the controls of a gate. Noise gates are popular in high gain electric guitar

situations or, but I've not heard a gate that ever helped the tone. They simply reduce noise

when the guitar isn't playing. Same thing for live vocal and drum mics. They are handy to kill

the stage noise of live mics until the musicians start playing. As already stated, we've got that

covered in the computer already.

Null

A null refers to place in a microphone's pattern where it picks up little or no signal. This

doesn't not apply to omnidirectional microphones because they pick up sound equally in a

360 degree circle. For figure 8 microphones, this is the side of the diaphragms of the mic.

For cardioid microphones, the null is toward the rear.

Omnidirectional

Omnidirectional mics pick up sound in a full 360 degree circle around the mic, making them

ideal when you want to pick up sound from all sides. For example, when a group of singers

circle around a microphone, the odds are strong that the mic is set to omni mode.

Omnidirectional mics do not have proximity effect. This means you can get right up on the mic

327

without any artificial boost to the low end. You can also get farther away without any artificial

cut of the low end.

For a further explanation on “Omnidirectional” check out the chapter on Microphones.

ORTF

A stereo miking scheme where two microphones spread outward instead of inward like in an

X/Y miking setup. This is hard to describe. Take a look here.

Overclocking

Many computers allow you to increase the processor speed of the computer beyond that at

which it was rated for. The benefit is increased performance, but the drawback is more heat

and a great chance of frying your computer. This is known as overclocking.

Overdub

An overdub is when an instrument is being recorded to either replace tracks that had already

been recorded when the band played live or add an additional layer on top of previously

recorded tracks.

Pad microphone ( )

Different microphone designs have different limits to the amount of signal the electronics

inside the microphone can handle without clipping. Extremely loud sources can overload the

internal electronics of the microphone and distort the signal. A pad is a device that knocks

this signal down by a specific amount of dB.

Pads are often built directly into condenser microphones but can also be used “in-line”

328

between the microphone and the preamp. This “in-line” method is useful when recording an

extremely loud source that overloads the preamp following the microphone.

Pad synth( )

A pad is a genre of tone created in synths that has swells into a long sustaining quality. A

note stuck on a pad generally takes so long to build up to be audible that it's impossible to

play complete melodies with any complexity and be able to make out what is actually being

played. Pads are great for creating atmosphere and aura around a track.

Panning Law

Most recording programs come default with something called a panning law. Basically, it goes

like this. Let’s assume we have a mono recording of an electric guitar, for example. If we pan

that guitar 100% to the left speaker, the right speaker isn’t helping a bit. So, it makes sense

that the signal would be half as loud than if both the right and left speaker were playing this

same signal (which would be center panning). So, audio recording software manufacturers

incorporate panning laws to compensate for the much louder signal when both speakers are

playing back a signal.

This is simply a personal preference. You will always compensate for levels after making

adjustments, so there is no direct benefit for one way or another. I always just leave mine at

the default setting.

Parallel Compression

Parallel compression is one of the essential Mixing 201 tricks. An overwhelming majority of

my mixes use parallel compression. What is it? Think of a series circuit. In a series circuit,

current flows from device A to device B to device C to device D. In a parallel circuit, current

can flow from device A to both B and C at the same time. Both B and C can flow to device D.

329

So how does all this electronic stuff affect recording? Route your drum tracks so they go

straight to the 2-bus (master fader). Use an Aux Send to shoot the signal into a compressor

where we can smash the drums aggressively and then blend them back into the normal

drums. So, we really have “clean drums” going to our Master Fader and we have our

smashed drums meeting up with them, being the same yet compressed and different. The

result is a bigger and better controlled sound that has some of the benefits of compression

without all the damage of straight compression.

Because we have the original signal and a second signal, we can get very wild with our aux

send. We can smash the living crap out of the snare drum to get whatever effect we are

looking for while at the same time just lightly blending that crushed sound into our mix.

For a more detailed explanation of parallel compression, see Killer Home Recording:

Murderous Mixing.

Parametric EQ

A parametric EQ (equalizer) is a tool that allows the boosting and cutting of specific

frequencies. Most people are familiar with graphic equalizers that allow you to draw a smiley

face. Graphic EQs use fixed frequencies. Parametric EQs differ in that they allow you to

adjust the frequency you cut or boost to find the exact frequency you'd like to manipulate.

Additionally, parametric equalizers allow us to select how wide the boost or cut is. This is

known as bandwidth or Q.

PCI cards

“PCI cards” is not really an audio term. They are more of a computer term. PCI cards fit into

PCI slots on your motherboard. If you look at the back of a desktop computer you will see a

number of horizontal slots at the bottom. These are where the PCI cards go. PCI cards make

it possible to add and remove components from a computer system.

330

Typical uses for PCI cards include modems, networking cards, video cards (although most

use AGP now), and last (but not least)… soundcards.

Many audio interfaces and DSP processors use PCI cards.

Phantom Power

Condensers and some modern ribbon microphone designs must be powered by electricity to

function properly. Usually this is 48V, but it can be different depending on the design of the

microphone. Most mixers and preamps come with phantom power built in. If a preamp,

mixer, or audio interface does not come with phantom power built in, you will have to

purchase an external phantom power supply. It's always recommended to purchase preamps

and such with included phantom power because external power supplies are generally

expensive.

Phase

Phase is the time relationship between two sound sources. It's probably the most powerful

audio engineering concept you should understand that doesn't directly involve music. A large

section on the subject of phase is included in the Killer Home Recording: Audio Engineering

since a full explanation of phase is beyond the scope of this glossary.

Plugin

A plugin is essentially an audio processor in software form such as reverb, compression,

delay, etc. There are many popular formats including VST, Direct X, Audio Units and RTAS.

Any one recording software application will support a maximum of a few specific formats.

Polarity

Polarity is a switch that you’ll find on many preamps, consoles, and just about every piece of

recording software known to man. Many times the polarity button is labeled “phase”. Phase

331

and polarity are often confused as they are related, but not exactly the same.

The easiest way to understand polarity is to toss up two identical tracks into your recording

software. Make sure the are both panned dead center. Take one of the tracks and hit the

“phase” or “polarity” button. This basically flips the waveform so that when it used to go up it

now goes down. It’s the equivalent to reversing the left and right leads on a speaker.

Think back to science class in school. If you took two identical waves, flip one upside down

(or in other words, flipped the polarity) and recombine them, the two would always cancel out

each other. As one wave is going up, the other is going down.

In this situation, we are talking about two identical waves on a computer. If you panned

each .wav file to opposite speakers, you’d start to hear things again (although it would sound

comb filtered). This is the real world acting upon our wav. The acoustics change the sound

coming from each speaker enough that they don’t cancel each other completely.

The real function of the polarity button is to solve problems with miking.

For a more detailed explanation of “Polarity” check out the chapter on “Mixing”.

Pop Filter

A pop filter is a device, usually circular, that is placed in between the vocalist and the

microphone to block excessive pops from causing rumble. It usually contains a stretched

piece of fabric although designs using metal are also available.

Preamp

(see Microphone preamp)

332

Predelay

Using the Predelay parameter in our reverb effects, we can adjust the amount of time before

the onset of reverb. If the predelay is set to zero, the reverb begins immediately. If we set the

predelay to 50ms, the start of the reverb will be delayed by 50ms.

For a further explanation of Predelay, please check out Killer Home Recording: Murderous

Mixing.

Printable CD Rs-

Like the name suggests, a printable recordable CD has a surface that is ready to be printed

on with an inkjet style printer. A printable CD-R usually comes with a white or silver label that

is essentially a piece of paper is course enough to absorb the ink from a printer.

Proximity Effect

The proximity effect describes how the low end increases as you move closer to the source

with your microphone. This is a property of figure 8 and cardioid microphones but does not

apply to omnidirectional microphones. The inverse also applies; meaning the low end will

decrease as you move farther away from a source.

Punch In Punch Out/

This term became popular back in the days of analog tape. If a particular vocal phrase was

not acceptable, the engineer would press play while the vocalist sang along and not hit the

Record button until they hit the moment that phrase that needed to be replaced was starting.

This is known as punching in. The engineer had to quickly turn off the Record button to avoid

replacing the good vocal that was already recorded that they wanted to keep. Turning off the

Record button is known as punching out. Note: In modern computer recording recording

software, by default, will not erase or record over audio files. In the old days engineers took

333

pride in their ability to punch in and out quickly and accurately. Instead, in modern recording

software new audio files are created so the importance of punching in and out is diminished

as you can always adjust when and where a new take is used instead of an old take.

Q

(See “Bandwidth”)

Quantized Grid

When you open up a MIDI sequencer, a grid will be formed that illustrates beats 1, 2, 3, and 4

(with 4/4 time). It's possible to use the quantize feature to snap all the playing to be in

“perfect” time from a mechanical standpoint (not always the perfect time from a musical

standpoint). While it started with MIDI, the idea of quantizing a performance to a grid has

spread over to audio tracks. It's fairly popular these days to take a drummer's performance,

push a few buttons, and make all snares and kick drums land exactly on the beat. I'm not

much of a fan of this sort of thing. Some say it improves music. I have my doubts.

Reamp

Reamping is a modern tactic of sending a recorded signal back through a speaker (and

amplifier, of course) and re-recording it. There are endless possibilities with reamping. A

person could record a clean, DI of their electric guitar and then “reamp” it through a guitar

amp(s) later. A person could run a snare drum back through a speaker which is setting on

snare drum and mic the ambience of the room. A person could simply run an instrument

through a speaker and mic the room. The is how old-school echo chambers work. This is still

an awesome way of getting reverb.

Reverb

Reverb is the ambient sound you hear bouncing around the room. Let's start with a single

delay/echo. The “bounce” off the wall is clear and obvious. HEY!...hey. YOU!...you. Now

334

add up a thousand zillion of these distinct delays bouncing off every surface in the room. At a

point where the number of delays increases to the point that they are totally indistinct we

enter the world of reverb. This is the sound we associate with singing in the shower or yelling

in a school gym. Reverb can be natural or it can be simulated with electronics and computer

plugins.

Reverb Time

Reverb time is also known as RT60. This is the amount of time it takes for an ambiance to

decay by 60dB. This is the standard in which rooms are judged. You may hear that a given

room has a 3 second reverb time or RT60. This means it takes 3 seconds for the sound to

drop 60dB. Another room may have an RT 0 of .8 seconds. In this room, it will take .8

seconds for a sound to drop 60dB.

Ribbon Microphone

A ribbon microphone is a unique design (like a dynamic or condenser) that is known for its

thick, dark tone and lack of tolerance for rough handling.

For a full explanation of ribbon mics, see the chapter on Microphones.

RMS Loudness

You’ll hear the words “RMS” and “Peak” used quite a bit in anything that has to do with

electronics. In the audio world these terms pop up when we're speaking of the amplitude

(volume) of an audio signal.

“Peak” is a little easier to understand and explain. Essentially, “Peak” is the value of the single

loudest part of any audio signal. If you take a look at a mix you’ve done, it’s easy to see that

335

the peaks are probably made up of kick and snare drum hits.

“RMS Loudness” is basically the average volume of the mix over time. A good way to illustrate

this would be to solo your drum bus so that you can only hear drums playing. Now very slowly

bring in a track of whispering. Keep it very very low in the mix. This would have very low RMS

loudness. So even if the drums are pounding, the space in between the drums is almost

nothing. The very quiet whispers don’t do much to make the RMS loudness that great. Now

mute the whispers. Now bring up some very loud distorted electric guitars. I’m thinking of

electric guitars that are constant down strokes like you’d expect to hear in an old punk rock

sound. Make them very loud. Now, in addition to the pounding drums, we have a constant

audio signal that is quite loud. The signal of the guitars does not really change in volume

much. While the drums have clearly defined transients (boom - pop - boom – pop) the

guitars are a constant (gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh).

RMS Loudness has a lot to do with modern mastering. Modern music sounds much louder

than music did 20 years ago if you keep the volume at the same level on your stereo. This is

achieved by smashing down the loud stuff and then pushing the volume back up to the point

that maximizes the volume limits of the CD.

RoboA term used to describe an increase in intensity. A babe is a female with desirable aesthetic

attributes. A robo babe is a female with ultra-desirable aesthetic attributes.

Roll Off

(see “Filter”)

Room

You’ll often hear recording engineers refer to “the room”. Sometimes you’ll hear them use the

words “room mic”. The “room” is referring to the sound of the reverb in a given space, as well

as the space itself. When I recorded guitar amps in my home, I’d keep the amp by the kitchen

336

and then run a “room mic” into the foyer to capture natural ambiance. A “room” mic is there to

capture the ambient sound reflections bouncing all over the place.

Room Mode

Room mode is an acoustical term. It means sound bounces of a wall, comes back, and

smacks right back into itself out of phase by an amount determined by the size of the room

and frequency we are dealing with. Theoretically, with zero absorption (which I'm pretty sure

is impossible) a wave could bounce off a back wall and if you were standing in the spot where

that wave ends up being 180 degrees out of phase with the original signal zero sound will be

heard. However, if you were to walk to the place in the room were both waves were perfectly

in phase you'd find that the sound doubled in volume.

As you can imagine, there is a huge difference between hearing zero sound out of your studio

monitors versus hearing a specific frequency twice as loud! Of course, this is the theoretical

side that doesn't take into account a zillion other factors. I'm just trying to convey the

concept.

Room more are why it is so important to find the ideal location for your studio monitors and

listening position. Room nodes are also why acoustical treatment is so important in control

rooms where accuracy is paramount.

That's the simple explanation. This topic can get as complicated as most of us can stand.

Room Node(See Room Mode)

RT 60

(See Reverb Time)

RTAS

RTAS stands for Real Time Audio Suite and is the plugin format of Pro Tools.

337

Sampler

A sampler is piece of hardware or software that will play back a recorded audio file when

triggered by a MIDI signal.

A sampler makes it possible to grab your MIDI controller and play a few notes. By changing

the various samples loaded into your sampler hardware / software you can play back a totally

different instrument. For example, you can change from a flute, to an acoustic guitar, to a

harmonica to a piano just by loading up samples.

SATA

SATA stands for Serial ATA. What does ATA stand for? Who cares! Basically, SATA is a

faster version of ATA that allows for more data to be sent to and from hard drives and CD-

ROM devices in a shorter period of time. SATA devices mounted outside the computer are

referred to as eSATA.

Sensitivity

Speakers have a rating called sensitivity which describes how loudly a speaker will play when

given 1 watt of power. The standard is to place the measurement microphone one meter from

the speaker. This gives you an idea of how efficiently a speaker handles power.

Sequencer

A sequencer is a device that allows you to record and edit MIDI compositions. A MIDI

sequencer is a lot like those old pianos that allow you to put the roll of paper in and the piano

automatically play. In fact, this is exactly what a sequencer does.. among other things.

Sequencers can be hardware or software. These days, the hardware versions are found on

high end keyboards but most people are using software sequencers found in audio recording

software like Cubase, Logic, or Sonar.

338

For a more in-depth look at Sequencers, see the chapter on MIDI Sequencing.

Shelf

There are two types of shelf: a low shelf and a high shelf. A low shelf is found on many

parametric equalizers. A low shelf boost will boost the signal of all frequencies below a

certain frequency (which you set). A low shelf cut will reduce the signal of all frequencies

below a certain point.

A high shelf works the same way except that it will affect frequencies above a certain point.

Sibilance

When a vocal has extremely loud, painful, and overly dramatic “ess” sounds we refer to this

as sibilance. There are other tones that can be considered sibilance such as “t” sounds.

Generally speaking, any portion of the vocal in the 4k-12k range that is painful is considered

sibilance.

Sidechain

A sidechain is an additional input found on many compressors and gates to allow you to use

one particular signal to trigger the compressor and then actually apply that compression to

another signal. For example, a very popular trick in mixing is to clamp down on the bass

guitar subtly every time the kick drum hits. We do this by sending signal from the kick drum

via an aux send to the sidechain inputs of a compressor that is placed as an insert on the

bass guitar or a bus that the bass guitar flows through. When set properly, when the kick

drum is struck we'll notice that the kick drum is a bit more there.

A sidechain can also be used as a gate. For example, let's say we place a gate on our stereo

overheads and we want to bring the snare out a bit. While in a conventional pop song the

339

snare should be the loudest peak in the overheads it's very possible that we'll get all kinds of

“false positives” when using the overhead tracks themselves. It would be much more reliable

to send a signal via aux to from one of the snare close mics. By doing so, we can adjust the

gate so that every time the snare hits, the gate closes in the overheads. Note: In this

example, we'd be using a gate subtly. Maybe when the gate is closed we only reduce the

signal 3dB. We may not want to reduce the signal infinitely when the gate is closed like you

often see/hear in noise gates.

S PDIF/

S/PDIF refers to one method that digital signals are passed in and out of a digital recording

system. For a great explanation on S/PDIF, see the Audio Interface chapter.

Staccato

This is a musical term that means playing short, choppy, or abrupt notes with minimal sustain.

Studio Monitors

A pair of studio monitors is nothing more than a pair of speakers that you use to track and mix

your recordings on, but studio monitors often sound vastly different from home stereo

speakers. Studio monitors are intended to be accurate so that your mixing decisions translate

well to the outside world. This means that the decisions you make in mixing that sound good

on these speakers should also sound good on home speakers.

Track

A track is what we refer to one single piece of recording audio. In most cases, this refers to a

single microphone. If multiple mics have been submixed together (maybe 3 mics were used -

two guitars and a synth were combined together to form one signal) they would be referred to

as one single track.

340

Tracking

Tracking is what we often call the “recording process”. It's the part where the actual music is

played and the actual performances are captured.

Transient

A transient is a fast peak. If a long, swelling pad that takes 5 seconds to reach full volume is

on one side of the spectrum, a transient is on the other. When I think of transients I think of

the initial attack of a snare drum or the pick attack on an acoustic guitar.

Virtual Instrument

A virtual instrument or VSTi is a synth or sampler that is built into the computer. This means

that the synthesizer is actually inside the computer and you no longer need to purchase

expensive keyboards to get top notch sounds. Today, it's extremely popular to use a MIDI

controller and trigger sounds inside the computer via either samplers or virtual instruments.

For a more advanced explanation of Virtual Instruments, see the chapter on MIDI

Sequencing.

Vocal Comping

It's extremely rare for the vocals you hear on albums to be recorded in one single take. It's

normal for a singer to go through 2, 3, or 30 takes and then piece the whole thing together to

form one take with super intensity. The process of putting together all these pieces is called

vocal comping (short for compiling). Back in the tape machine days, this was a time

consuming process, but modern recording software has made it a breeze. (The mechanical

assembly process.. the great vocal is still really tough!)

Voiceover

This is essentially the recording of talking. Voiceover is used often in documentary films to

341

add narration on top of video but also includes work such as TV or radio commercials or

movies.

VST

VST is the most popular plugin format. Developed by Steinberg, VST plugins work with

Cubase and many other software programs. There is an enormous pool of free VST plugins

online.

VSTi

(See Virtual Instrument)

wav File

.wav file is the uncompressed format used to store digital audio onto CDs. Tracks recorded

onto PC are, by default, .wav files and you’ll more than likely render down to a .wav file.

Wordclock

Wordclock is the signal used to keep multiple digital signals from different converters in sync.

If two audio interfaces are to be used or an audio interface and an external converter are to

be used in tandem, they both must be fed the same wordclock signal to keep them in sync.

Without wordclock, clicks and pops are a huge problem, but some people even notice a

reduction in sound quality. Wordclock signals often flow through BNC connectors (which are

independent from the cables the digital audio flows through), but converters using S/PDIF or

ADAT Lightpipe can send wordclock through the same cables the digital signal is passed

through. In other words, S/PDIF and wordclock signals do not necessarily require additional

BNC connectors to use wordclock.

342

X Y Miking/

X/Y Miking refers to take 2 mics (usually the same model) and creating a 90 degree angle

with the mics so that their diaphragms are almost touching but they are pickup up sound from

essentially different directions.

For more on X/Y Miking, check out the Audio Engineering Principals chapter.

343

Post Book Junk-

In Review

We have covered WAY too much crap in Killer Home Recording: Setting Up. If you read all

the way through it, I suggest you take a cooking class or maybe join a summer volleyball

team. Why? Because you need a woman. If you happen to be female, my advice still

stands.

Let's go over what we've talked about.

We've gone into detail as to whether this epic disaster known as computer recording is worth

jumping into or if you'd be happier with a standalone recorder.

I suspect I may be part of the Salem float test, but I did take on the Mac vs. PC argument

without being overly biased towards either side.

We've covered audio interfaces, recording software, cables, and PC optimization in great

detail.

We've covered what gear is needed for electric guitar recording, bass recording, drum

recording, and overall choices for microphones. We've gone into detail on every piece of

recording gadgetry I can think of and hopefully made the process of selecting your initial

recording gear dramatically easier.

We've given advice for what all the mega-broke asses should do. (It's strange that a lack of

money is compared with a donkey in the cliché. It must be a western capitalist thing.)

Worst of all, we've included guides to troubleshooting your problems.

344

We shed some light on the whole MIDI sequencing thing that often requires several hours of

nose contortions before it starts to make sense.

I hope you think our glossary was helpful. I'm just upset that I couldn't really fit anything

offensive into it.

Still Have Questions?If you have a specific problem that wasn't answered in Killer Home Recording: Setting Up, DO

NOT HESITATE to ask on the Recording Review forum. Make sure to email me the link to

your thread and I'll answer it as soon as I can.

Feedback

I'd love to hear what you thought of Killer Home Recording: Setting Up. Don't hesitate to

telling the world what you liked, what you didn't, what was good, and what was bad.

If you REALLY liked it, do me a mega favor! Grab a video camera, tell people what you

thought, and toss it on Youtube!

If you liked Killer Home Recording: Setting Up, be sure to check out the other Killer Home

Recording titles.

Tell Your Friends! I ll pay!'

If you liked Killer Home Recording: Setting Up be sure to tell your friends. It would be

incredible if you could write a short blog or forum post about Killer Home Recording. I'm

generous with my affiliate commission and will hand out a hefty percentage to any sales you

send my way. Check out my affiliate program for details.

345

The Killer Home Recording System

346